The Tears of a Ghost
by Dreamer from North
Summary: SEMI-HIATUS! 18 years old Inu-yasha moves with his family to many hundred years old estate. He finds out that the estate’s former owner lives there as a ghost unable to get free. Will Inu-yasha find the way to free her and if do can he let her go?
1. New life

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).

Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ¤¤¤new place or time¤¤¤

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Chapter 1 New life

Inu-yasha sat on the roof of his home - or at least it used to be his home. The removal men walked between a big truck and his home carrying furniture and boxes full of stuff. They were moving out. His parents had bought a new house (actually it was an estate) far away in some small village. In other words, he was leaving Tokyo and his friends behind today.

"Get down from the roof and carry this" Sesshomaru shout from the doorway of the house pointing at a huge box that was full of his things. That was something Inu-yasha could tell when looking down from the roof and seeing all the freaky books he knew to be his older brother's.

"Why not carry it yourself!" he shouted looking up to the sky. His long white hair flew around him in the cold autumn wind. They promised on the TV that there would be some more cold days, but some warm days were still coming before the winter would come. Even thought it was cold now, Inu-yasha was sitting on the roof just wanting to enjoy the last moment here where he had been born and grown up.

"Inu-yasha!" he heard a call from the road that passed the house. A dark-haired boy about his age was running past the removal men toward the house.

"Koishi!" Inu-yasha exclaimed surprised by this guy's visit when jumping down from the roof.

"Why didn't you tell me you were moving" Koishi asked huffing cause of the fact that he had run here some kilometers with full speed.

Inu-yasha was silent and looked elsewhere. Koishi looked up at him. "Hey, come on" Koishi stepped closer. "We have been friends since the schools started. No! Before it! And you didn't even tell me that you were moving." When Inu-yasha stayed silent he sighed shaking his head. He knew Inu-yasha well enough to expect silence.

"Oh" Inu-yasha's mother noticed Koishi in their yard standing beside Inu-yasha. "Did you come and say bye, Koishi?" she asked. She was beautiful with long black hair and a gentle smile.

"Yes" Koishi simply answered to her when suddenly he heard growling from beside his feet and before he realized what it was a small brown dog was biting his trouser leg. "Not again" he sighed and started to pull his leg free from the dog's jaw.

"Sesshomaru!" Inu-yasha shouted to his brother when grabbing the dog. "Get your damn dog into the box already!" It was a wicked dog. Not to wonder when Sesshomaru was the one to train it.

"Inu-yasha!" his mother scowled when lifting a vase into her arms. "We would never treat little Jaken like that! He's coming into the car with us."

Inu-yasha stared at the dog for a while. The dog growled and Inu-yasha could swear that somewhere there was a smile. "You don't seem to like dogs, huh" Koishi asked folding his arms.

Inu-yasha threw Jaken into Sesshomaru's arms when he walked toward them. "I thought you knew me better, Koishi" he said shaking his finger. "I love dogs. Just not that one." He pointed at Jaken who was now in Sesshomaru's arms going into the car.

Koishi looked after Sesshomaru for a while and then looked at Inu-yasha again. "Will you write?" he asked. "All I know, you are moving quite far and it's not easy to get to Tokyo from there."

"Come on Inu-yasha" his father called from the car when his mother walked there with the vase.

"I'm coming" Inu-yasha shouted shaking his head.

"So?" Koishi asked trying to meet his eyes.

"I'll write" Inu-yasha smiled offering his hand.

Koishi took the hand and smiled. "I'm waiting!"

Then Inu-yasha run into the car leaving Koishi to stand in their yard - their old yard.

¤¤¤Piece of Inu-yasha's diary (in this story he writes one)¤¤¤

It was a silent ride. I was sitting behind Mom in the car when Dad was driving. Sesshomaru used the ride to teach Jaken (that horrible dog) new wicked tricks. The radio was on and it told about the upcoming weather. It promised some colder days and then new warm days before the winter. How much I trust them is another matter.

It was definitely a boring ride and sad cause I had left everything I knew back in Tokyo - my friends and the house where I grew up. Everything was there. I knew no one in this new place. What was its name again? Well. . . It doesn't matter. I'll still be real bored there.

I'm also going into a new school. I know no one there so I must crawl my way again from zero that I never needed to do in Tokyo. They knew me already so there was no need to prove that I was stronger. What fun could these people do anyway? They lived too far from the city!

I turned to look at the others when I was getting all the time bored. Mom was telling about her plans for the new house. Mom and Dad were actually the only ones who had seen it. Sesshomaru had never seen it, but he told it to be some kind of haunted house from 17th century.

One thing makes me think. Mom told it was a western-like house, not Japanese. What the hell did it do here!

Dad then told that it was last inhabited during 19th century. Since then no one had dared to live there more than two or four nights.

Sesshomaru tells all the time of those damn ghosts living there. Like there would be any ghost. Get real, Sess!

¤¤¤Late on the evening¤¤¤

Late on the evening they arrived to the huge estate. It had a huge yard and you couldn't see the mansion from the road. There were black gates that were opened for them by some removal men when they drove in.

The removal men were carrying boxes and furniture into the mansion when the new owners stepped out of the car. Inu-yasha looked at the huge mansion. It had four floors above the ground and there was one more under the ground which you could tell since you saw small windows on the wall right above ground. When his mother had told it to be western-like, he thought it would be perfectly western-like, but this house. . . It had also Japanese features.

The yard wasn't taken care of and he knew that his mother would use all her time just to get flowers here when spring came again. There could be however some roses maybe, but it was autumn so how could you know.

He sighed and followed Sesshomaru in. The older one seemed to be real exited of this haunted house. Like there would be something! Inu-yasha grinned to the thought that even ghosts would have died in this boring place.

There were huge and old spider webs in every corner and the last owners seemed to have left almost all of their furniture in here. Inu-yasha walked past the removal men who carried their stuff. He walked before a chest of drawers that had Japanese symbols all over it. He blew the dust away. It was definitely a dark and beautiful furniture. On it was a candlestick for five and on the wall seemed to be some kind of picture. He blew on it, but it didn't help. He covered his hand with his sleeve and rubbed the picture. To his surprise there revealed to be a mirror. He rubbed some more until he saw his own face in it.

"Inu-yasha" Sesshomaru called almost scaring Inu-yasha. He was standing on stairs going up. "Are you letting me choose freely which one will be my room?"

Inu-yasha looked at him cleverly. "No way!" he shouted and run after his faster brother. This was a challenge!

They raced up to the top floor Sesshomaru first. Jaken tried to keep after them, but he was too tired when they arrived on the third floor so he only looked after his master when they raced to the top floor.

When on the fourth floor they together opened the doors to make sure if the room inside was a good one to take as your own. The rooms were quite small thought – at least to their image of the place. They were still bigger than their old rooms.

They didn't think about what they were going to do with all these rooms when checking out every room in the fourth floor. They raced down to the third floor opening the doors and looking until Sesshomaru stood at the middle of the floor announcing "This floor is mine. You take the upper floor, brother."

"What!" Inu-yasha shouted. "That's not fair. The rooms here are much bigger and one of the rooms upstairs is locked."

On the same moment their father came up. "That's a good choice" he said looking around. "We were about to take the second floor with Mom so why not you Inu-yasha take the upper and Sesshomaru the third one so you have splendid of room."

He smiled gently having the same white hair as his sons. Inu-yasha grumbled when Sesshomaru grinned at him triumphantly. "In the first floor are the kitchen and bathroom and all like that and into the lowest floor. . . Don't go! The floor there is rotten." After telling that, he left and Sesshomaru followed.

Inu-yasha, however, walked to the top floor that now was his. Well, he was happy of the way it ended. He got plenty of room and why would he need five more and bigger rooms than he already got. It was just for acting proud that he didn't agree immediately. He looked around the corridor where were all the doors leading to the rooms.

There were many furniture and many pictures on the walls. What might have been the reason for the former owners to leave with out their things? He walked to the other end of the corridor where the locked door was. He tried to open it like it would have opened while him being down stairs. It was locked. He sighed wondering what was behind there.

"Inu-yasha!" he heard Sesshomaru to call. It wasn't a very strong call for the fact that his brother was in the lowest floor. "Come and get your things!"

Inu-yasha turned around and walked to the stairs. When he stepped on the first stair he heard something. Someone crying. . . He looked behind him to see what it was. There was nothing and he heard nothing again.

"Inu-yasha!!" he heard a stronger call and wondering what it had been he walked down.

--

A/N: I got this idea when watching my brother to play Luigi's mansion. I don't know. I get my ideas from real silly places usually. However, I don't have a lot of possibility to get any new chapters during the summer. I'm a lot away from home so if you want more chapters you just have to wait. I'm also sorry for any spelling mistakes on the moment. I have problems with the spell check program, but I'll take care of the mistakes when I have time.

--

A/N (18.5.2004):

At the time when I'm writing this A/N I have already uploaded the 25th chapter for Tears of a Ghost. Now I have edited the chapter and hopefully I found every mistake.

To those who wonder the name Koishi after reading this chapter; there is no need to tell me about its meaning. I know that koishi means also 'darling', but when I came up with the name I didn't know it. I just found it from a dictionary with the translation 'little stone'.

Even so, now when I know it, I won't change it. For example my editor told me it's the name for him and it shouldn't be changed. Not only that. . . I'm pretty attached to it.

--

A/N 9.5.2006 (5/9/2006):

Reread it trough again and fixed some mistakes which I hadn't noticed before.

--

A/N (May 27, 2008):

I'm going trough the chapters again. This time around I am mainly looking holes in the plot that should be fixed.


	2. New School and Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).

Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ¤¤¤new place or time¤¤¤

--

Chapter 2 New school and friends

On the next day Inu-yasha walked to his new school. There were a lot of students all around. Mostly people seemed to be around three old trees. It seemed to be a very popular place among the students. Couple of teachers walked outside on the school yard keeping their eyes on the students.

Inu-yasha took a deep breath and then started toward the main door of the building. Inside there were a lot more of people spending time before the classes started. The students were around their lockers and some people were only sitting on benches.

No one seemed to really notice him. Some maybe glanced at him, but then they continued their discussions with their friends or what ever they were doing. He sighed, not liking this at all. He must get friends again and be accepted here while all that was already done back in Tokyo.

He walked forward in the corridors to the upper floors. He was told to go to the highest floor and meet the headmaster of the school. There were three floors in the school and just when he came to the second floor someone run at him causing them both to fall.

The guy that had ran at him had only grinned and ran of again. Inu-yasha looked after him seeing how the guy-with-a-pony-tail ran down the stairs having two angry girls after him. Inu-yasha stood up wondering what it was. Then he turned around to head to the highest floor.

He looked up the stairs and right before him was standing a guy with brown hair. Neither one said anything. They just stared at each other and it felt like this strange guy wouldn't welcome him here at all.

After a moment Inu-yasha started up the stairs straight toward the other guy. On the last minute the other one stepped away letting Inu-yasha walk by, but when he walked up he felt how that angry stare followed his back all the way up.

¤¤¤Later in headmaster's office¤¤¤

"Now it's all done" the headmaster said who preferred to be called by her first name, Kaede. She was an old lady who seemed to get quite well along with the students. "I have called one of the students here to show you the way to the classroom, but he doesn't seem to be here yet."

Inu-yasha sat on a soft chair before Kaede's desk silently. He was reading the papers he got over again to make sure it was all right. With other ear he listened on her and nodded to everything she said.

This was boring stuff!

After reading the papers again he put them on the desk and she took them into a paper file. Then he leaned heavily on the chair just when the door of the office opened. He didn't bother to turn around and see who came in.

"Finally" Kaede smiled noticing that it was the waited student who came. "Come here."

Inu-yasha heard the student come toward the desk and then a cheerful and happy face stared at him from behind the chair.

"Oh" the guy with a little pony-tail smiled. "It's you! I'm sorry for the earlier." He smirked and then looked at the headmaster. "What is it, Kaede?"

Inu-yasha lifted his other brow. It seemed that in this school they weren't formal like in his old school. Maybe they knew everyone in this small town anyway. Not really... There were still a lot of people living here and you had to be the most outgoing person if you knew everyone.

"I called you so you could take Inu-yasha to the class and then show him around" Kaede explained. "He's from Tokyo and started here today. However, don't make him same kind of pervert like you, Miroku!"

Miroku smirked and scratched the back of his head. Inu-yasha just stared at him wondering what kind of place this was. In his old school you had to always call the teachers (and especially the headmaster) with their last names. However now it wasn't needed.

"Everything is done here, Inu-yasha" Kaede said smiling, but still having some keenness in her voice. He looked at her before standing up and following Miroku.

¤¤¤Peace of Inu-yasha's diary (I'm reading his diary again!)¤¤¤

I can't believe this school. It's full of strange people. I didn't really realise it until I walked out of headmaster's office.

Miroku, this guy who walked before me, was something you could say in one simple word... Pervert!

If he was meant to show me around the school he mostly showed me the behinds of girls and those red marks on his face after all those slaps. Still... it didn't seem to bother him at all. He only smiled and tried the next one.

Most of the girls seemed to be used to him. They seemed to have a sixth sense. They always knew when he was coming and gave a kick just when he was in the hitting range.

Actually... nothing else I found out of him. He was cheerful and known all around the school. Not to mention that he knew every girl from name to phone number.

Crazy guy in every way!

The school itself seemed to be cosier than my school in Tokyo. The walls were of comforting color and the classrooms were small and much like their teachers. If the teacher was happy the room had happy colors.

Well... nothing more to say about the school. I'm not good in explaining anything like this...

Why am I explaining it anyway!? This is my diary! Like someone would be reading it!

However I gotta remember to write to Koishi...

¤¤¤later¤¤¤

"Good morning, class" the math teacher greeted. He was a tall man with strangely colored hair. Other half of it was grey and the other half was moss green. It was held in loose ponytail and you could tell that the man was about 25 or so.

Inu-yasha leaned forward in his place to whisper something to Miroku who was sitting before him. He, however, never got the change to say anything because the seemingly sharp eyed teacher noticed him.

"You might be Inu-yasha, right?" the teacher said sitting down behind his desk and started to write down something on the papers before him on his desk.

"Yeah" Inu-yasha answered the bored question more boringly.

"Stand up, please!"

Inu-yasha couldn't overlook the order in the teacher's voice. He slowly stood up and looked around at the people in the class. He couldn't overlook the girls either. Most of them were sighing and staring the teacher and most of the boys were annoyed by it.

'Not another teacher like that' Inu-yasha shouted in his mind.

The teacher stood up after being ready with his markings. He looked around and then at Inu-yasha with his yellow eyes. "I'm called Chaz and I'm a math teacher here" he introduced himself. "This is Inu-yasha – a new student from Tokyo." He waited for a moment to get everyone's attention.

"Say hi!" Again there was that order in his voice.

Inu-yasha looked around when everyone greeted, but not even half of the people looked at him. Actually... he did never look at the new students when greeting back in Tokyo. Now he knew how it felt when no one noticed you.

Sighing he sat down again.

¤¤¤Lunch time¤¤¤

Inu-yasha followed Miroku out from the building when they were carrying their trays. They walked toward a wooden table where were people already sitting. Two girls and one boy were by the table.

Miroku led them to the table and sat down. "Hi, guys!" he greeted the people around the table, but the girl beside him got a greeting unwelcome... He rubbed her on her behind and got a sharp slap on his face.

"Who's this guy, Miroku?" the boy by the table asked taking a bite of his bread.

Inu-yasha recognized this boy to be the same one that had stared him angrily when he was going to the highest floor earlier.

"Oh. . ." Miroku got up on the bench again and with a sigh he said "This is Inu-yasha." Then he looked at the girl next to him when Inu-yasha sat down beside the other girl.

"You met him already, Sango, right?" he asked with a wink.

"Huh..." she lifted her head from her food. "Is he the new one? I didn't bother to look."

"Your eyes were too busy to stare at the math teacher" the still unintroduced boy growled seemingly annoyed by the fact. He got a slap from Sango who was blushing.

"So... She's Sango" Miroku said to Inu-yasha smirking.

"I'm Kikyo" the girl beside Inu-yasha offered her hand as a greeting. He took it nodding. She was a beautiful one, but there was some coldness in her.

"And he's Kouga" Miroku finished pointing on the grumpy boy sitting on the other side of Sango. There was a long silence when everyone was eating. Inu-yasha decided to be silent like they.

"Where do you live?" Kikyo finally asked finishing her lunch.

Inu-yasha was still half away from eating all of his ramen when he looked up at her. He swallowed and then answered "In the mansion up North..."

He was cut short by laughing Kouga. "In the haunted mansion?" he asked laughing. "You must be kidding!" The others joined in the laugh.

Inu-yasha got annoyed. He bit his lower lip before growling his question. "What's so funny?"

Miroku was startled by the anger in his voice. "You ask why and you live in the mansion" he said trying to stop laughing. "Have you yet heard any crying?"

Inu-yasha wondered what this was about. "Yes, but..." he tried to say when he was again disturbed by Kouga.

"He's crazy! I knew all along!" He stood up taking his tray and ready to leave. Sango stood up and followed him. So did Miroku as well shrugging his shoulders to Inu-yasha.

Inu-yasha looked after them. What was that about?

"There are no such things as ghosts" Kikyo whispered into his ear walking then after the others.

He looked after them sighing and then he left as well...

--

A/N: I was real...Real! ...surprised by the reviews. I thank you all for that and as a gift to the readers here is the second chapter. It's kinda introducing more characters.

I'm sorry for the fact that I maybe don't have enough time to get the third chapter here. I'm leaving tomorrow and will be back on next week so if not today or tomorrow morning then on next week will the third chapter be here

I forgot to say this in the first chapter, but... I'm very sorry if there are any similarities to already written stories. That wasn't my intentions.

--

A/N (05/18/2004):  
I edited this chapter right after the first one, but I was quicker in the editing so something might have missed my eyes. If there still are some big mistakes (especially those which disturb the story) tell me.

Now I'm going to sleep cause I have a school day tomorrow

I should be rather studying for an exam than doing this, but this is just how I am. School is something that I usually just leave for later. But this time I'm going to seriously read cause I want to a good grade of it

--

A/N (05/10/2006):  
Just reading trough and taking care of mistakes still left in the text.

--

A/N (May 28, 2008):  
This chapter needed very little changes.


	3. Haunted Mansion

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).

Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ¤¤¤new place or time¤¤¤

--

Chapter 3 Hunted mansion

Hi, Koishi.

How are you doing? I'm doing terribly. Sesshomaru is picking on me all the time and I should pay him 200 yen only for getting down to eat. Jaken is all the time hanging on my pants and my Tetsusaiga (you know what I'm talking about) has gotten somewhere with my brothers stuff. Also my best jacket was left back in the old house, damn it! I knew that everything wasn't packed.

Any interest of going and look for it?

I had my first day in school. The people there are crazy! You almost must call the teachers with their first names or their calling names (I don't even know their last names). Also I met this guy, Miroku, who's a pervert. He introduced me to his friends. Kouga, who's one of his friends, doesn't like me. Not to mention I don't like him. Then there are these two girls, Kikyo and Sango.

Kikyo is beautiful, I must admit.

They think I'm crazy for living in here. More so they laughed at me when I said I heard crying here. What's their problem? There are no ghosts! I know th-

¤¤¤back from the letter to another view¤¤¤

Inu-yasha straightened his back when hearing sniffing. He let the pen from his hand fall on the table that had been carried up last night. He looked over his shoulder. He saw nothing.

He turned back to the letter he was writing when he heard it again - that lonely sniffing. Now he was getting annoyed. He stood up and walked to the door of the room he had decided to be his 'office', like he calls it.

He opened the door and looked around. He heard the sniffing again and now it was turning into crying. He walked out of the room to the stairs. "Stop that, Sesshomaru!" he shouted downstairs and then turned to return to the room.

The crying had stopped and so he nodded proud of his victory over his brother. Still he wondered why Sesshomaru hadn't shouted anything back at him. Sighing he walked to the room again.

The crying started again. 'What?' he asked himself. He looked slowly up and saw what he never believed to see.

He screamed of surprise when seeing a transparent girl sitting on his table right beside the letter he had been writing. He backed a step when the sniffing started again and the girl let her head fall in her hands. He backed again, but accidentally kicked one of the boxes in the room.

The girl was startled and she looked up. In the next second she was gone.

Inu-yasha blinked his eyes more than once. He slowly walked toward his table. What had he seen?

"You saw me?" he heard a ghost-like voice from behind him. He jumped out from his socks turning around to face the transparent girl

"You saw me!" she smiled sweetly. She stepped a bit closer to him and he had to wonder where she was walking when she was floating above the floor.

"Some one finally saw me!" the girl smiled clapping her hands and dancing around... or more like flying.

Inu-yasha held his breath when with his hands he started to look for the table behind him. He didn't dare to let his gaze fall from the girl before him. He was seeing thing, right? There are no ghosts, right? He was becoming crazy, right?

She just laughed happily dancing around until she then stopped and turned to look at him. "What's your name?" she asked getting closer to him. He just leaned on the table heavily.

She didn't wait for an answer. She floated above the table and read on the letter on it. "Are you Koishi?" she asked giving again that sweet smile.

Inu-yasha looked carefully over his shoulder not knowing what to think. She was a young girl with black long hair and she had a pattered kimono on her. He gulped when she came closer again. Now she was only inches away from him.

"Koishi?" she asked innocently.

He breathed heavily. 'What kind of coward are you?' he heard a voice in his head. 'You fear this innocent girl? Why to fear, even if she's something unnatural?' He breathed more steadily.

"My name is Inu-yasha" he finally said and the girl's face became even brighter.

"Inu-yasha" she said wondering. Then she danced around. "I'm..." she stopped short staying still having one finger on her lower lip. "Actually... I don't know who I am. I can't remember."

He looked at her wondering. She didn't know who she was? She didn't remember? He relaxed and looked at her.

Small tears started to fall on her cheeks and the sniffing started again. "Stop crying!" he shout getting uncomfortable when she were crying. She didn't stop and he didn't know what to do. Was he becoming crazy? He was seeing a ghost but there aren't such things as ghosts.

There passed a long silent moment and only her sniffing was heard. Then he got enough and run out of the room. "Sesshomaru?!" he called when getting down the stairs. "Did you hear that?" He run and opened the first door in his brother's floor. He wasn't there.

"He's not home!" he heard a shout from downstairs.

'What?' Inu-yasha shouted in his mind. Then slowly, almost fearing, he started to go up the stairs again. He arrived to the room where the girl had been.

There was no crying. The girl was gone and he was only left standing there with out knowing what to think.

--

A/N: Not the best chapter I have done. It's also quite short, but at least the ghost has appeared now I hope you enjoyed it anyway and I'm real sorry for all spelling mistakes cause I simply hadn't time now to take care of it. On next week I'll do it.

Tell me what you like. Also I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me some Japanese last names. I don't know any and I have a hard time to come up with something that could work.

I know then nothing really of the ways in Japan. I just come up with something and borrow the little bit of information I have. I hope that no one is going to hit me if the life style is wrong -looks around carefully-

--

A/N 10.5.2006 (05/10/2006):  
Just read trough and fixed some mistakes.

--

A/N (May 28, 2008):  
Not much fixing needed after my fixings on last time.


	4. Denial

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).

Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ¤¤¤new place or time¤¤¤

--

Chapter 4 Denial

On the next morning Sesshomaru walked out of his room yawning. It was a school morning to him as well to Inu-yasha. Jaken didn't even bother to stand up from his basket. He just turned around and continued sleeping.

Scratching his hair Sesshomaru walked down the stairs to get something to eat. He didn't wonder when he heard his father to be still sleeping in the second floor. His father had a late morning today. He walked down to the first floor and straight to the kitchen. His stepmother was there already waiting.

She had made breakfast to all and now it was on the table waiting for eaters. She smiled to him when he sat down. The relationship between these two wasn't the best possible. Sesshomaru's real mother was a mystery to Inu-yasha's mother since no one really ever talked about her. Especially Sesshomaru himself was very silent about the matter.

"Have you seen Inu-yasha?" she asked when she sat down by the table. "He has an early morning, just like you." She took her bread and looked at him. He only grumbled.

She sighed and shook her head. "Could you go and wake him up?" she asked and that made him look up at her. "I must leave any minute now and your father is sleeping."

Sesshomaru grabbed his bread and started toward the stairs cursing under his breath. Usually he didn't go and wake up Inu-yasha this willingly, but he had found a perfect way to wake him up. Taking a bite of his bread he started up the stairs cursing in his mind. Why couldn't they have a lift here!?

When he got to his floor he first walked to one of the smallest rooms (that still was real big). There he had worked on some small projects during these few days in here. Most of them were still unfinished like an electrified fence that he was planning to use on the stairs for Inu-yasha. However one of his projects was ready to be used and so he grabbed a green hose with him.

¤¤¤just changing the view¤¤¤

He saw her again. He saw that transparent girl with black hair and pattered kimono. She was crying and he tried to calm her down but all the time he tried to get nearer she went further away. Then suddenly she disappeared.

He looked around in the darkness. There was nothing. There was no floor or walls but for some reason it didn't bother him. He just wanted to find that girl because he could still hear her crying.

Suddenly a bright light appeared before him. It was so bright that he had to cover his eyes. "Actually... I don't know who I am. I can't remember" he heard her say... again. The bright light turned into the girl from before. She was standing there with a sad face and one finger on her lower lip. "Actually... I don't know who I am. I can't remember" she said again.

He tried to walk closer. He tried to say something. It was no use. It felt like his words would be stuck in his throat and like he had heavy chains on his feet. When he looked down he saw that he actually had chains keeping his legs together.

Then he looked at his hands. His nails were growing into long claws and he noticed with his tongue that he had long fangs in his mouth. He looked up at the girl, but she was gone. Now there was a huge mirror where he saw himself... or did he?

In the mirror was a boy just like him, but with white dog ears and red kimono. He tried to get back from the mirror, but the chains in his legs didn't let him go.

"Oi, Inu-yasha!" he heard a call from his side. He saw Sesshomaru there strangely clothed having some big fluffy thing over his other shoulder. Sesshomaru had some streaks on his cheeks and for some reason he didn't have his other hand.

Inu-yasha gasped and tried to get away from him, but something pulled on his legs. He looked down and saw a little green creature with a staff. His eyes widened. He didn't know why, but this had something to do with Jaken, Sesshomaru's dog. Suddenly the little creature pulled him down on his back.

He gasped and saw from the corner of his eye the transparent girl looking disappointed. She shook her head and slowly walked away. He tried to shout after her, but no sound came. Then Sesshomaru was standing beside him with that green creature.

The staff that had two heads started suddenly blow fire on him. Inu-yasha tried to scream, but it didn't help. The flames touched him, but for some reason it felt cold and wet...

¤¤¤back to reality¤¤¤

"Wha...!?" Inu-yasha shouted standing up on his bed. Ice cold water came at him and he could hear Sesshomaru evil laughter. "Sesshomaru!" he shouted. "Stop!!"

Then the shower stopped and the older one was standing there grinning evilly at his little brother. "How did you like it?" he asked knowing well that Inu-yasha didn't like it. "I was planning to use it on you more that often." His evil grin didn't disappear.

Inu-yasha breathed heavily leaning on the wall when standing on his bed. The cold water was falling on his face and he wasn't the only one wet. Also the wall and his bed got wet. He stared angrily at his older brother who threw the hose over his shoulder.

Suddenly Inu-yasha growling attacked his brother and so started one of those many fights they had too often.

¤¤¤Later after breakfast¤¤¤

"Damn that Sesshomaru!" Inu-yasha growled when looking for dry clothes from a bag he had unfortunately left under his bed. That meant it was wet as well. He was lucky enough that he found everything else but not a shirt from those bags that were far from the wet bed. He had left all his shirts in this bag and now they were wet.

"Please" he pleaded when throwing wet shirts over his shoulders. "One dry shirt!" Soon he had thrown the last of the shirts out from the bag. He sat down legs crossed cursing Sesshomaru under his breath. How would he now go to the school? There was no way he would go like this!

"Problems?" he heard a girl's ghost-like voice ask. He didn't bother to look up on the bed knowing that he would see that image again.

'You have listened too much on Sesshomaru' he thought in his mind standing up and walking toward his other bags hoping that he happened to have one shirt in one of those. 'You are imagining things!'

The transparent girl was sitting on his bed swinging her legs over the edge. She looked at him curiously. "What are you looking for?" she asked but didn't get any answer. She floated over to him and looked over his shoulder.

He threw clothes right trough her and didn't pay attention to the cute face that appeared over his shoulder. However he felt his heart beat faster than before when the transparent girl came this near him. 'What's with you?!' he shout in his mind closing his eyes. 'Getting nervous like this, over an image that's made by your imagination.'

When he opened his eyes again the girl was gone and he sighed. 'You're becoming crazy!' Then he continued looking for a shirt.

Suddenly a white T-shirt was hanging before him. He looked up and saw the girl smiling at him. She was giving him one of his shirts that to his surprise happened to be dry. 'How is this possible?' he thought standing up. He looked at the girl who smiled sweetly.

"Now you can go to school" she said offering the T-shirt. He took it carefully. Then he stood up and put it on. When he looked at her again she was gone. He didn't know what to think anymore.

He sighed and walked to his school bag when she appeared before him again. "Can I come with you?" she asked bleeding. "Please?! I want to see the world outside. Please let me come?" She gave a very sweet smile and it almost broke Inu-yasha's heart.

Almost...!

"What are you thinking?!" he shouted. "What would I say to all the people in school if I would talk to some kind of fancy creature all the time?!"

She backed a step and now her sweet face turned into in a way angry face. "I'm no fancy creature!" she growled standing on her ground.

He was surprised by her reaction, but why should he be?! She was only a fancy creation of his. From the very first cry... Just like Kikyo had said "There are no such things as ghost." She was right, but why was his heart beating like this then? Was he really becoming crazy?

"Yes, you are!" he shouted. "You are a fancy creation of mine!"

She came nearer him. "Are you sure about that?" she asked and saw hesitation in his eyes. He was confused. That was what he was. "I have been here before you! I have been here... I don't know how long, but it doesn't matter!" She came even closer staring at him angrily floating above the floor.

"I once lived like you. I was once blood and flesh like you!"

Inu-yasha backed a step hesitantly, but then he got a hold of himself again. He stared at her angrily. "There are no such things as ghosts!" he shouted borrowing Kikyo's words. She backed in disbelief. "You are only a fancy creation of mine! Nothing more!"

He was surprised to see the girl to be very disappointed. She looked down and floated toward the wall of the room. She sighed and he didn't know what to do.

"You saw a ghost, Inu-yasha" she whispered and looked slowly up at him. "But you denied what you saw." She was long silent making him very uncomfortable. "That will lay a curse on you." She floated trough the wall.

"Inu-yasha" he heard her say last. He sighed looking down. He didn't know what to think. He bit his lower lip taking his school bag.

Then he stepped out of the room sighing deep. Soon his expression returned to that usual one when he got a hold of himself again. "There are no such things as ghosts" he heard Kikyo's voice in his mind followed by Kouga's laughter. He wouldn't give them more reasons to laugh only cause of his too wild imagination.

When he walked out from the house and toward the gates of the yard he didn't notice the transparent girl sitting beside the window. She looked after him sadly. She looked down and slowly disappeared.

--

A/N 11.5.2006 (05/11/2006):  
Just read trough and fixed some mistakes.

--

A/N (May 28, 2008):  
Had little to do after last time, but still some pretty important things to fix.


	5. the Curse

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
*****  
  
Chapter 5 The curse  
  
Inu-yasha was sitting in the classroom in his own thoughts. Note books flew over him as well some little papers were passed over his table. There was no silence in the class even thought the history teacher Myoga tried to calm the students. He was a small man that you couldn't even see behind the standing students that shout from the other side to the other side of the class.  
  
Inu-yasha however didn't notice anything of it. He was wholly in his own thoughts even when Kouga who sat behind him threw a gum into his hair. The people around Kouga laughed and he took the cheers happily.  
  
Inu-yasha couldn't get the transparent girl away from his mind. He also couldn't forget the strange dream he had had. Why had he dog ears and a red kimono and why Sesshomaru had looked like that. What is this all.  
  
Then he felt a strong push on his back that made him hit his head on the table. He looked behind him angrily seeing Kouga cheering. With a growl the white haired guy attacked the other one. The fight got the whole attention of the class.  
  
They bet on the winner and cheered on when Inu-yasha hit with full force on Kouga's face, but he got a kick on his stomach that made him fall on one of the tables. The desks moved from under his weight, but he was soon on his feet. They run at each other kicking and hitting.  
  
Myoga tried to get trough the students to see what was happening, but it was no use. After a short moment he decided to get someone who could calm the scene.  
  
Blood flowed from Kouga's nose when blood flowed from Inu-yasha's mouth. They huffed standing on the different sides of the ring the students had made. One of the boys poured water on Kouga that was welcome, but no one helped Inu-yasha. Kouga came at him again shouting and hit on his face. Inu- yasha took the hit and the second, but then he went quick on his knees and hit with his hands the back of Kouga's knees.  
  
Kouga fell on the floor just when Chaz, the math teacher had crawled his way trough the students. From behind him came Kaede who stood there hands on her hips. He looked at the boys who had stopped fighting. "You have a lot of explanation to do" she informed them when Kouga slowly stood up.  
  
"Both of you come to my office" she said pointing on them. "Now!" She had a clear order in his voice. Inu-yasha and Kouga looked angrily at each other and then followed.  
  
***headmasters office***  
  
Kaede had made many questions to the two fighter when the school doctor and nurse took care of their small wounds. Both, Inu-yasha and Kouga, had one black eye already when they listened on the headmaster and gave grumpy answers and hateful glares at each other.  
  
"You'll get detention of this until your school day's over" Kaede told her judgement. "the following classes you have. I don't care how you'll get those jobs done, but know this that no fighting will be taken lightly in here."  
  
Inu-yasha muttered something when Kouga was silent and looked out of the window. "You are still new here Inu-yasha and I'm very disappointed on you." Kaede sighed and was silent for a moment. "Go get your things and then go straight away to the gym."  
  
***by the lockers***  
  
Inu-yasha took the books he would need tomorrow from his locker and put those back that he wouldn't need. After doing that he sighed and hit his head on the locker beside his. He sighed and cursed under his breath. 'I can't believe this' he thought 'Second day in school and I got into a fight already.' He sighed again.  
  
Then he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up behind him and his eyes went wide. He stepped back cause of what he saw.  
  
"What is it Inu-yasha?" Kikyo asked surprised by his reaction.  
  
Inu-yasha breathed heavily. 'Oh. it was only her' he thought. Kikyo looked so much like the girl he had imagined in his home. Did that mean something? He still had to admit that Kikyo was a beautiful one.  
  
"Nothing" he grinned weakly. "I was just surprised. I didn't expect you to come." That explanation didn't really work but Kikyo decided to stay out of his problems.  
  
"What's happened to you?" she gasped when realising that his other eyes was black. "Have you been in a fight?" She looked at him long and then her eyes narrowed. "With Kouga right?"  
  
How well could this girl read him, damn it?! He could only nod and then he turned to take the rest of the things he needed and closed the locker.  
  
"You got a detention, right?" she asked when he was ready to leave.  
  
"Yeah, so?" he asked boringly looking over his shoulder at her.  
  
"Well." she muttered. "Good luck!" Then she run of and left him behind wondering.  
  
***In the gym***  
  
Inu-yasha entered the gym. He wasn't alone there, but it was Kouga with him. There was a tall man in the middle training moves with a kendo sword. He walked beside the wall away from the door and put his bag there.  
  
He looked at the man dancing with the sword. It seemed so perfect that he was amazed. Then the man stopped. "You do kendo?" the man asked not bothering to look at him.  
  
"A little" Inu-yasha answered staring at the man and slowly realising who it was.  
  
"Good" Chaz turned around. "Cause now it's time for your detention." Inu- yasha stared him wide eyed.  
  
On the same moment the doors opened and Kouga marched in. He had a white plaster on his nose and he growled when looking at Inu-yasha. Inu-yasha didn't pay any attention to him. Chaz changed his sword into a wooden one and gestured the others to take the wooden swords as well.  
  
"Take the protections so I won't hurt you too much" Chaz said giving an evil grin.  
  
Kouga was about to take them like every other time, but Inu-yasha just growled "I do not need them!" Kouga stopped. If he wouldn't take them then he wouldn't either. Gulping he stepped back.  
  
"As you wish, but don't then blame me" was all Chaz said before attacking them with furious moves. They kept on that for half an hour Chaz being the attacker all the time. Kouga who had planned to attack Inu-yasha during the detention didn't have time for that when he tried to dodge the teachers attacks.  
  
Inu-yasha dodged as well as he could. If he would have this stupid wooden sword and he could risk everything he would be attacking with his fists. However he decided to be on the defence. He wanted to just get over with this. He dodged and dodged, but for some reason the attacks were all the time more powerful.  
  
Chaz attacked both of them with same force from the very beginning, but he noticed how Inu-yasha's dodging started to loose it's power. How the white haired guy left too many opening. Chaz started to wonder when with gentler power he hit on Inu-yasha's head.  
  
It woke Inu-yasha's attention, but still his moves were weaker and after a short moment Chaz looked with horrified eyes how Inu-yasha fell on the floor. He stopped attacking Kouga and run to the boy. Inu-yasha was unconscious.  
  
"Get the school nurse!" the math teacher ordered Kouga. Kouga stood there grinning until he heard a more powerful and warning order from Chaz. That made him run out of the gym.  
  
Chaz turned for Inu-yasha and put his hand on his forehead. It was all hot. His whole body was in fire. "What's with you?" he asked under his breath.  
  
***back in the mansion***  
  
"He have a very high fever, but the nurse said he should get up in few days" Chaz explained Inu-yasha's mother calmly after bringing the boy home and carrying him all the way to the fourth floor. "If his fever grows any higher you should call a doctor."  
  
Inu-yasha's mother nodded all the time. She had been called home from work when her husband couldn't calm and Sesshomaru coming would be a miracle.  
  
"His things are beside the door and I'll inform of his state in the school" Chaz explained standing up from the chair he had been sitting on. Inu- yasha's mother stood up as well and followed the young teacher to the outdoor.  
  
***in the fourth floor***  
  
"Huh.!" Inu-yasha woke up from another night mare. He was a dog demon again and Sesshomaru had been in that strange costume and for some unnamed reason the transparent girl was in a school uniform.  
  
He breathed heavily and looked out of the window. There was raining outside and the raindrops were hitting on his window. Suddenly he felt horrible and he fell on his back. He had cold. very cold. He brought the covers right up to his ears to keep warm, but it didn't really help.  
  
He tried to remember what had happened, but it all was a fuzz. The last thing he remembered was when he met Kikyo by the locker. "What happened?" he asked silently.  
  
"The curse hit you" he heard a ghost like girls voice say coldly. He looked toward his desk where she was sitting hand folded.  
  
"The curse was laid on you" she said again with disappointed and sad voice. He felt uncomfortable when those beautiful eyes looked at him. They were angry, disappointed and sad on the same time.  
  
"Tell me what this is!" he shout standing up to sit even thought he felt horrible.  
  
She only looked away and slowly started to disappear. "Tell me!" he shout again, but she was gone.  
  
He fell on his back on the bed not knowing what was real and what wasn't. Could his imagination be this wild?  
  
*****  
  
A/N:  
  
I don't know anything about kendo so I'm sorry for the stupid explanations. Also. I happened to have time to do another chapter for you before I leave. I tried to upload the fourth chapter with no success yesterday, but I hope it works now. Also I ask you to check on my other new stories so I would know should I continue them.  
  
I have even more ideas that I have started to write of.  
  
This is the old A/N before I left, but I didn't succeed to put any of my chapters and new stories into the net. Yesterday I finally got the fourth chapter of Tears of a Ghost. To day I'm going to get all my missing chapters into the net if no new problems come up.  
  
I'll take care of the spell-checking after my summer vacation. 


	6. Sick

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 6 Sick  
  
"Is this meaning that I must stop teasing you?" Sesshomaru asked Inu-yasha who laid still on his bed. The older one was sitting on the edge of the bed giving a fake expression about being worried. "Well. No ice-water showers on mornings then."  
  
'Luckily' Inu-yasha thought when he looked at Sesshomaru to sigh. He wasn't so happy about the fact that his brother was here, but actually that was the only reason why he was here.  
  
Sesshomaru stood up when Jaken came whining into the room. "Well" Sesshomaru stretched his back muttering. "I must take Jaken out so, don't go anywhere, brother." He pointed a finger up at Inu-yasha who sighed.  
  
"Like I was going somewhere" Inu-yasha pointed out with his hoarse voice that became everyday worse. His fever hadn't risen at all, but it was already third day of sickness and he was feeling awful.  
  
Sesshomaru walked out of the room and was just about to close the door when he then looked inside again. "When you get well again it will be two showers a day" he promised with a wicked smile and then left the fourth floor.  
  
Inu-yasha stared the door after his brother left. 'Oh god' he pleaded in his mind. 'Don't let me get well!'  
  
***boring hours later***  
  
'How boring' Inu-yasha thought when rolling around in the bed. He felt terrible, but also very bored when you couldn't do anything. He didn't even have any real good book to read and if he would have he needed to get up and that felt awful. He wasn't lazy or anything, but just to lift your head made you feel terrible.  
  
'I want to get well soon' he thought. 'I don't care if I get two or five ice-cold showers, but I want to get up and do something.' He sighed rolling on his back. His mother had brought him something to eat that he barely could get down. He also felt tired, but still it was boring.  
  
Suddenly the lights of the room went on and Inu-yasha had to narrow his eyes. The bright light hurt his eyes cause he had been in a dark room already many days. His sickness took longer that it had meant to take.  
  
He turned his head a bit to see who had come into the room. It was her mother who was so worried when he didn't get well like the nurse had promised. Someone was meant to come look at Inu-yasha tomorrow.  
  
"Here is some lunch" his mother said silently walking beside the bed. She put the food on a table beside Inu-yasha's bed. She looked at him with worry.  
  
Inu-yasha didn't want to meet her eyes so he looked elsewhere. He stared at the room's door. He was silent when her mother asked him needed he help. He actually wasn't listening when he saw how the transparent girl slowly walked in trough the wall beside the door. His eyes widened when they met the girls sad eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?" his mother asked turning around. Inu-yasha's hand tried to stop her, but with no succeed. "There is nothing" the woman said and turned to look at her son again. He had a scared expression on his face. That worried his mother even more.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked placing her hand on his forehead. He didn't look at his mother again. The Transparent girl walked closer the bead having that sad expression that he didn't like of. "Your fever is still high. Try to sleep, son" he heard his mother to say.  
  
He laid down on the bed giving a comforting smile to his mother. "I'll be okay" he said and made his mother to smile. He glanced at the transparent girl that now smiled a little. Smiling the mother left the room.  
  
The smile on Inu-yasha's face disappeared and turned into a sad one. The transparent girl stood still in the middle of the room. 'So. mother can't see you.' Inu-yasha thought glancing at the girl.  
  
He leaned up on his other elbow to get the soup from the table. He felt dizzy and fell on the bed again. Moaning with his hoarse voice he covered his eyes under his hand. He felt how some cold breeze came trough him and like something sat on the bed with him. He lifted his hand slightly and saw the girl sit on the edge of the bed.  
  
She smiled to him a gentle smile. He gulped and covered his eyes again. 'What is this?' he asked in his mind. 'She was very sad and disappointed. even angry earlier, but now.' He looked from under his hand again at her sweet smile. '.She smiles.' Inu-yasha felt how his heart was beating harder.  
  
His heart beated even harder when she leaned to reach his soup. She could come trough walls and everything, but she could lift the soup-bowl as well. He looked at her swallowing hard when she lifted the spoon from the soup and brought it near his lips. She smiled and he took the soup from the spoon.  
  
Suddenly he realised how hot it was and he lifted his head and grabbed the drink from the table. When he was okay again he looked at her startled face that soon calmed down again. She took more of the soup in the spoon and blew a cold and ghost like blow on the soup.  
  
She grinned and he had to smile a little. He felt dizzy but he didn't let it bother when their eyes were locked to each other. Inu-yasha's heart beated hard and the silence around them was uncomfortable.  
  
Suddenly she looked away and blew on the soup again. Inu-yasha noticed something pink come on her cheeks and he realised that she was blushing. When he thought about it he felt a blush on his own cheeks as well.  
  
He looked away and lifted his pillow so that he could have his head little upright. Then he laid down again feeling very terrible. She smiled and brought the spoon against his lips again. her cheeks were still pink, but he drank the soup from the spoon. She smiled and blushed again.  
  
It was silent but it didn't matter. They didn't need any words when Inu- yasha finally found from his heart. 'She's really a ghost' he smiled a little behind the spoon that was brought on his lips again. 'She really is a ghost!'  
  
***behind the door***  
  
Sesshomaru was closing the door slowly. He had glanced in and with a smile he looked down at Jaken who finally was silent when needed. "So. he's coming crazy huh?!" he whispered to the dog. "Not to mention that there was a ghost like aura around here. Especially in his room."  
  
Sesshomaru leaned on the door thoughtfully. "Especially when I think on that flying spoon." Sighing he walked down the stairs to his own floor. There he entered one of his room that was like a library.  
  
In that room were all kind of freak books of aliens and ghosts or anything supernatural. That wasn't however the only things the books in the room told of. They were also of simple things like human history, the nature and usual novels.  
  
He sat by a table he had himself built on the day when Inu-yasha got ill. There he had some old information of the family that lived in this mansion before all the ghost stuff. Also he had collected all the information he could of the former owners that had heard the cry of the ghost or even seen it and after it was taken into a madhouse.  
  
He looked at the old newspapers he borrowed from the library and then the history of the family. He spent a long while before his eyes stuck on something interesting. "The youngest daughter never left the mansion alive" he read aloud.  
  
He took a deep breath and put the book down. He slowly looked up at a picture he had found from one of the rooms. There was a young black haired girl standing with a bouquet of spring flowers. The girl was about seventeen or sixteen in the picture.  
  
Slowly he walked up and walked toward the picture. "You are the girl" he whispered. "Aren't you?" He smiled sighing. He had heard the cry as well and he knew that somewhere in the mansion this ghost lived and. Inu-yasha had something to do with it.  
  
Silently he left the room and headed for the stairs just when his mother called for dinner. He sighed yet again and walked down Jaken following right behind.  
  
A/N: I'm so happy that I could finally get more chapters of this into the net. Happier I am. of course. for your reviews. I also hope you'll check on my other stories. For example Stuck in one time. It's a crazy story with no exact story-line, but I just like to write it.  
  
I still ask about Koishi's name. Tell me is it bothering you. I don't want to make everyone hate me for it.  
  
I try to write today the next chapter so it can come up also.  
  
Thanks!! 


	7. Crazy?

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 7 Crazy?  
  
"Morning, girls!" Miroku greeted when he walked past a groups of girls. Kouga was walking behind him not wanting to be too familiar with the pervert. "I hope you slept well."  
  
All the girls more like walked away from him keeping their skirt's hem down and walking backwards. They feared that Miroku would suddenly come and do his bad things. "Sigh" Miroku scratched his forehead.  
  
"Just give up, Miroku!" Sango shout when walking toward them with Kikyo. Kouga felt relieved when he saw the girls. He smiled to them a thankful smile and Miroku more like looked at them disappointed.  
  
The usual basic talking started and when Sango had come the girls started to relax. Somehow Sango could keep the pervert from doing anything but there was also this rumour about them being an item. It was something they had never admitted, but it seemed to be the truth. Also it's told that they have been together already over a year.  
  
"Look who's coming!" Kikyo suddenly shout pointing toward the stairs cause they were on the second floor.  
  
Inu-yasha came slowly up the stairs looking real tired. He drew lazily his bag behind him and his hair was a real mess (like it wouldn't usually be so). Miroku run straight toward him and put his hand on Inu-yasha's shoulder.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked. "You have been sick over a week and you still look bad."  
  
"No" Inu-yasha muttered. "I'm okay! I'm just tired cause I have had a real nice conservation with a ghost." He said it like there was nothing and Miroku could sense truth in it, but the truth was impossible.  
  
"I told you!" Kouga shout. "He's crazy!" Then he turned around to meet some of his other friends. "He's talking about some ghost! He have been talking with a ghost!" The people around him cheered him on.  
  
"Stop that Kouga!" Sango shout walking dangerously toward him. Kouga was a friend with Sango, but in school he could act a real idiot just to be a cool guy.  
  
"Stop what?!" Kouga asked. "He's crazy! What is there to defend."  
  
"Why you.!" Inu-yasha got up toward the other guy, but Miroku and Kikyo grabbed him. "I did talk with a ghost and I don't care if you won't believe me."  
  
"See" Kouga told Sango. "He's crazy."  
  
Sango bite her lower lip and looked down. Slowly, however, she looked up again and now she was growling. Sango didn't think that Inu-yasha had everything okay in his head, but had it to be made big news.  
  
SMUCK!!  
  
Inu-yasha, Kikyo and Miroku looked up at Sango who had suddenly hit Kouga very hard in the face. Kouga was holding his cheek that didn't have the red slap mark that Miroku usually had. This was serious and Sango full of energy growled before him ready to take him on. He stared silently at the girl and was just about to pay back when Chaz (surprise, surprise) came down the stairs from the upper floor.  
  
The math teacher was just about to walk by them when he noticed Kouga's cheek and angrily huffing Sango. He knew immediately what had happened (not knowing the reason of course), but decided that Kouga will choose was there to be a detention or not.  
  
"Is everything okay, Kouga?" he asked with his usual uncaring voice.  
  
Kouga was long silent and stared at Sango when she straightened her back and slowly turned for the math teacher. Sango was a person with whom you shouldn't play with. He knew it well and finally with a growl he answered the teacher "Everything is alright!"  
  
"Good!" Chaz said walking down the stairs to the lower floor. When he was down he sighed and hoped that this little fight would be the only one. He didn't want to take care of Inu-yasha's and Kouga's detention.  
  
"You are a fool, Kouga!" Sango growled when Kikyo and Miroku tried to get Inu-yasha to the class. Kouga just stared her. "You have been with us since the lowest classes. Do you know why we took you in our group?" Kouga was silent, but narrowed his eyes. "You were lonely. We took you in cause you were lonely. Try to respect that deed!" Sango's voice went more silent on every word. With a big sigh she followed the others.  
  
***time to go home***  
  
"Even thought you maybe talked to a demon" Miroku said leaning on the locker when Inu-yasha got his things in from his locker.  
  
Inu-yasha noticed the little disbelief in the other one's voice. "I talked with a ghost!" he growled. Narrowing his eyes to Miroku he returned to get his stuff.  
  
"Whatever", Miroku sighed. "Anyway. you shouldn't be shouting something like that so freely." When Inu-yasha closed his locker Miroku lifted his bag that had been leaning on his feet up on his back.  
  
Inu-yasha was long silent putting his bag on his pack and then slowly turning to look at Miroku with serious eyes. "I heard crying on the first day in the mansion" he said with low voice. "I saw a young transparent girl to sit on my desk. I believed that I had gotten crazy, but it wasn't it. When I denied her existence she said a curse will laid on me. And so it did. I got sick and I was longer sick than expected." Inu-yasha took a hold of Miroku's shoulders. "I saw her and I know she's a ghost!"  
  
Miroku looked at him not knowing what to think. He was like someone who had found a new light in a tunnel. Like everything would be clearer in life, but there was no ghosts. Was Inu-yasha coming crazy.  
  
They pulled away from each other and studied each other. Even in these few days they had known each other there had grown a strong friendship, but this was where Miroku couldn't aid him in his beliefs.  
  
"Inu-yasha" he said silently. "You are coming crazy." He looked up at the white haired one sighing. His eyes were kinda sad of the fact that Inu- yasha was becoming nuts.  
  
Inu-yasha's serious and lightened expression turned into a sad one. Miroku didn't believe him and he was the only one he thought would believe him. Back in Tokyo he would have a full bunch of friends to whom to talk to, but here Miroku was the only one and he thought he was crazy.  
  
"But I talked with a ghost!!" Inu-yasha suddenly shout and got everyone's attention in the school. Miroku looked around feeling uncomfortable when everyone were staring at them. He started to pull Inu-yasha away from there and with his other hand showed that Inu-yasha was crazy to the others. "But I really did!" Inu-yasha said again and Miroku just continued pulling him out.  
  
***girls***  
  
"I can't believe this" Sango sighed. "Of course Inu-yasha sounded crazy but why Kouga had to make it a big scene in the school. Now everyone thinks he's crazy and he'll maybe never fit in here."  
  
"You are right" Kikyo sighed as well when walking one step behind Sango. "Kouga did go too far."  
  
They walked a while silently being in their own thoughts. Then suddenly Sango slowed down a bit and got beside Kikyo. "By the way" Sango said looking at Kikyo. "The way you always look at Inu-yasha."  
  
Kikyo's eyes widened a bit and she hurried forward. It only confused Sango for a moment and then they were side by side again. "Do you have a crush on him?" Sango asked straight smiling a bit.  
  
"What makes you think that?" Kikyo shout blushing furiously. Sango smiled a knowing smile and the other girl knew she was cached. "Yes." Kikyo answered silently tucking her hair being real nervous.  
  
"I thought so" Sango smiled and folded her hands. "I believe he's a bit fuzzy after that long week of sickness. He's not crazy in reality, heh."  
  
Kikyo looked up at her friend wondering what Sango had in her mind. "I'll help you to get him. Believe me, You are made for each other!" Sango smiled even wider and put her arm around Kikyo's shoulders.  
  
They continued on their way home Sango telling ways how to get Inu-yasha fall in love with Kikyo.  
  
***back home***  
  
The whole family were silent when they together were eating dinner. This was one of those rare times when Inu-yasha's father was also eating with them. He usually had so strange working times that little time was left for the family.  
  
The mother had made ramen knowing well how Inu-yasha liked it and this was the first day in school after the sickness so this was something to celebrate. Sesshomaru however didn't like ramen so much so he made his own food of some good meat. Of the meat he gave to the others as well, but Inu- yasha didn't want it. He liked ramen enough to just eat it alone.  
  
"How was your first day in the school after the sickness?" Inu-yasha's mother asked his son. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes when concentrating on his food. Why Inu-yasha's mother had to always start some stupid conservation like he would be a little kid.  
  
Usually Sesshomaru would say something rude on the moment, but this time his father was here. If he would say something his father wouldn't maybe borrow him money for a car. Inu-yasha's mother had even staid home when her little son was sick. 'What a spoiled brat' Sesshomaru thought throwing some meat for Jaken on the floor.  
  
"Sesshomaru" the father growled. "You know that it isn't allowed to give food from the table." Sesshomaru only muttered.  
  
Inu-yasha had been silent until his mother asked the same thing again. "Nothing special" Inu-yasha mumbled when eating the ramen. "Kouga was picking up a fight again, but Sango took care of it."  
  
"Why do you always get into fights, son?" the father asked. "It have been like that since first grades."  
  
"Maybe cause they make me angry" Inu-yasha said with a poisonous voice.  
  
"Inu-yasha!" his mother scolded and Sesshomaru had to roll his eyes ones again. "Spoiled brat" Sesshomaru muttered, but Inu-yasha heard it.  
  
"What did you say?!" Inu-yasha ordered to know when he stood up and looked at his brother.  
  
Sesshomaru got up as well and looked down at Inu-yasha. "You are a spoiled brat" he said calmly not fearing a fight with his brother. Both of them growled and Inu-yasha's mother didn't know what to do. There was no change for her to stop this.  
  
"Then the father stood up and they all turned to looked at him. "Sit down sons!!" he ordered with a real warning voice. It was a voice that even Sesshomaru obeyed. The brothers sat down being silent but giving death promising glances to each other.  
  
"Now" their father sighed. "Why did Kouga pick up a fight with you?"  
  
Inu-yasha glanced up at his father who was now sitting down again. "Cause he thinks I'm crazy!" Inu-yasha said folding his arms and leaning lazily on the chair.  
  
"Why is that?" Inu-yasha's mother asked.  
  
Inu-yasha was long silent. Miroku had told him that he was crazy. He had told also that even crazier was to tell something like that in public, but this was his family. If he couldn't trust anyone else he should trust his family. right?  
  
"I told them I have been talking with a ghost" Inu-yasha said and waited on his families reaction.  
  
Sesshomaru stood up immediately with out another word. He marched toward the stairs and headed upstairs. Inu-yasha's parents however stared at him and then at each other. "What did you just say?" the father asked.  
  
A/N: I must thank you for telling of some my spelling mistakes, but I'm not on the moment working on them cause I don't really have time.  
  
I hope I'll have time after summer and then I'll look for those mistakes.  
  
My most often happening mistakes are just that I hit the wrong letter. Something like crazy I always write wrong thought I know it's not crazy, but when I write quickly there are words I often write wrong.  
  
I'm sorry for those mistakes and I hope they won't kill the fun of the story. Also. Please read my other stories as well.  
  
Thanks 


	8. Former owners

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'toughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 8 Former owners  
  
"Yawn. It's finally weekend" Inu-yasha jawned when waking up by the sun light that came trough the window in his room. It had been two days from the day when he returned to the school. He was happy that the weekend came so he didn't need to worry about what other thought of him.  
  
"Morning" he said and then the ghost girl appeared. She smiled sweetly and he hadn't heard her cry since he had started to believe. She was just about to answer when the door flew open and she dissappeared again.  
  
"No" Inu-yasha shout when Sesshomaru run into the room. He got under his cover waiting for the icecold water to get on him.  
  
Sesshomaru grabbed his cover and pulled him up. "Look" the older one said. "Now I know what happened to the former owners!"  
  
Inu-yasha was long silent. "So you won't give me a shower?" he asked thinking that his older brother was hiding the hose somewhere.  
  
Sesshomaru looked at him. His face went dangerusly dark. "You'll get a shower if you don't come down now!" He gave an evil grin and Inu-yasha sighed.  
  
"Alright I come down, but I want to put some." Inu-yasha couldn't say the rest when Sesshomaru was already pulling him out from his room. The ghost- girl had appeared again and now her face was wholly pink when Inu-yasha were pulled out from the room having only his underwear on.  
  
***In Sesshomaru's floor***  
  
Sesshomaru pulled Inu-yasha after him all the way to his little library. There he forced his little brother to sitt by the table. From beside the wall he took another chair and satt on it himself. He looked across the table at stunned Inu-yasha.  
  
He suddenly noticed his brother's expression to change. Inu-yasha was staring right past Sesshomaru at the ghost-girl. She was looking over Sesshomaru's shoulder just when the older of the brothers turned to look behind him.  
  
Inu-yasha's yawn trobbed when Sesshomaru's head got trough the girls head. The ghost-girl pulled back almost laughing. She did some funny things before Sesshomaru, but ofrcourse he saw nothing.  
  
Sesshomaru turned around again when hearing Inu-yasha to laugh. "What are you laughing, dear brother?" he asked dangerously. Inu-yasha covered his mouth trying not to continue laughing, but the girl was mimitating Sesshomaru's expression on the moment and so he started to laugh again.  
  
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes when Inu-yasha couldn't stop laughing. The girl rolled his eyes as well on the moment and when he started to talk she followed after. "Don't tell me that you see a ghost behind me imitating my moves?!" Sesshomaru kinda asked leaning his elbow on the table.  
  
Inu-yasha stopped laughing after hearing his words and so the ghost-girl as well stopped. "Are you seeng her too?" Inu-yasha asked carefully. There was a long silence after it. Neather one of the brothers moved. Both of them stared at each other and the girl just floated there beside them a finger in her mouth.  
  
"You are even crazier than I thought" Sesshomaru sighed closing his eyes when shaking his head. Inu-yasha sighed of relief. So his wicked brother didn't see her after all. That was some good news. "That wasn't however why I called you. You asked about the former owners yesterday and I found some information."  
  
Inu-yasha got closer beeng real interested. The ghost-girl came right beside him like she also would be sitting on a chair but in reality only floated in the air. "And.?" Inu-yasha asked wanting to know everything. That wouls maybe even help the girl remember something like her name. He can't call her a ghost all the time.  
  
Sesshomaru took some of his notes from between the book bages and started to explane Inu-yasha what he had found "Here used to live a rich family. There lived five children from who the youngest never left this house. alive."  
  
Inu-yasha glanced at the ghost who was also looking at him. Sesshomaru noticed his brother's movement, but still continued. "Cause later the family were cursed all the last names and the name of this mansion are erased from every text. The word became forbidden and the library people doesn't let me look those books where their last name would show."  
  
"Cursed." Inu-yasha muttered and noticed that the ghost was now looking over Sesshomaru's shoulder again.  
  
"In the family belonged father and five children, that I mentioned" Sesshomaru continued glanzing the book and his notes. "The mother had died long ago and three of the children were already having their own families. The oldest of two sons still lived here as well the youngest daughter with their father. They used to be rich, but the father was loosing everything in gambling. The oldest son slowly had to sell peaces of the mansion to pay his father's dephts. He also raced his youngest sister when their father almost never was home."  
  
"One day the youngest daughter fell ill very seriously and to pay the docktor her brother had to sell more and more of the house. The girl about your age or younger didn't want her brother to sell the house. She also talked some strange things like she knew that the death was coming."  
  
Sesshomaru took a smaller book that seemed to be old. "This I found from one of the closets here. It's the oldest son's diary. Here I found something interesting when the youngest was about five or so." Sesshomaru opened a certain page he had marked and read from there "Today happened something strange. my dear little sister had been in the yard picking flowers and having the sun on her face like always. when I were abroashing her she was humming a song our mother used to sing. However. Still having that sun and more sunnier smile on her face she had told me after some talking. 'I won't leave this house alive'."  
  
Sesshomaru went silent and looked slowly at Inu-yasha who looked just past him. There was a long uncomfortable silence. "What happened?" the younger one finally asked.  
  
"The girl died of ilness and never left the house alive" Sesshomaru said now with neutral voice when earlier he had been a bit exited. "Her brother tried to sell the house to pay all the depts, but no one wanted to buy it cause there was always crying to be heard and on that time people believed in ghosts. Finally he decided to just leave the house to be and move himself out from the village and never return again."  
  
Inu-yasha nodded like everything would be already said. "The reason for the furnitures to be still hear is maybe that he couldn't take them with him and I forgot to say that the father had died two years before the girl. No one of the siblings wanted the house anymore so it was left like this." Sesshomaru said. "That is what I think." He shrugged his shoulders when Inu- yasha stood up.  
  
"What is behind that curtain?" the younger of the brother's asked and pointed on a curtain on the wall. He knew well that there wasn't any window.  
  
Sesshomaru stood up silently and walked to the curtain. Then he pulled it down and revealed a beautiful painting of a girl that Inu-yasha immediately recognized. "Who is she?" Inu-yasha asked carefully.  
  
"I believe it's the youngest just before her sickness" Sesshomaru replied. "I found it from one of my rooms."  
  
Inu-yasha looked at it long. Then he slowly glanced at the ghost who was staring the picture with coriousity. The picture was sunny and happy with bright spring colors. The girl in the picture looked like there was nothing in the world wrong and evil didn't exist at all. Inu-yasha smiled slightly when knowing that this was the girl who was floating beside him as a ghost.  
  
"At what time they lived here?" Inu-yasha then asked.  
  
"On the early 19th century I believe" Sesshomaru replied putting some of his book into the bookshelfs in the room.  
  
"Now" Sesshomaru said turning for his brother. "Don't go and say openly of your 'ghost' cause I don't want to be called the brother-of-that-crazy-guy- from-the-high-school."  
  
"So. You don't believe me eather" Inu-yasha sighed.  
  
"Inu-yasha" Sesshomaru said calmly. "You are crazy you know that! I believe that you have heard this hundred of times, but there are no ghosts. Get real idiot!"  
  
Inu-yasha looked down and was silent. Sesshomaru was the one who talked so much of ghosts when coming here. He was the one wanting to see them and he believed in them. atleast that was what Inu-yasha had thought. "And I thought that atleast you believed, Sess."  
  
Sesshomaru looked after Inu-yasha who left the room. Suddenly he felt a ghost like breeze go past him and sighed. He looked at the door of the room and then satt down by the table again.  
  
'I do believe you, Inu' he thought sighing again. 'But how in nine hells could I tell that?'  
  
A/N: One more chapter.Whoa! I'm kinda broud of my self getting so much done of this.  
  
I know that Inu-yasha's and Sesshomaru's relationgship isn't really the same like in the mang/anime, but I wanted to make it like this. They tease each other and woud take their love to the grave, but still deep inside they care for each other. For example if Inu-yasha would get in trouble Sesshomaru would come and help with out thinking twice, but would never admit anything after it. It's the same other way.  
  
Cause of that they are kinda OOC, but ofcourse they are when they aren't exactly the same characters.  
  
I also try not to make any character perfectly bad or good even thought I wouldn't like him/her. This affects all my stories. Only Naraku is always evil in my stories cause I use it only if I need a very evil character. I don't like Kikyo and Kouga, but I don't like to make them baddies in anyway.  
  
Inu-yasha and Kouga are just usually rivals in my fics like in this one and the orginal.  
  
Also. I'm a kag/inu fan so there is one answer for many question asked.  
  
I kinda know how this story goes on but if you have any siggestions you want to give I may use them. ^_^ Also I would like to know what you really think of the story. Everyone sais it's good, but I want to know more. (amd I crazy or what) Of the spelling you don't need to say anything (ofcourse you can if you want) cause I know there are mistakes and I'll taking care of that later.  
  
Now. This can be the last chapter I put into the net pefore I leave, but I still hope I have time to write and put more.  
  
Thanks! 


	9. Locked room

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'toughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 9 Locked room  
  
Weekends over and Inu-yasha had to return to the school again. It was like any other school day. Kouga were picking fights all the time. Kikyo tried to get to know him better. Not that he would complane. He really thought Kikyo was beautiful and maybe one to date, but everyone thought he was crazy. That's all they are talking in the school. Inu-yasha's crazy!  
  
Now however his mind is more on the former owners of the mansion and on the ghost-girl. Now he even got a third broblem when getting back home from school.  
  
"I can't believe this!" Inu-yasha shout on the way to his floor. "Mom is sending me to a shrink! Did you hear Ghost? They think I'm ready for a mad house!" He was angry and pissed off when he reached the fouth floor.  
  
He was just about to open the door into his room when he heard sniffing. He hadn't heard sniffing since he got well from the sickness. What was it now. "Ghost?" he called and looked up like she would be floating above him. Then he turned to look toward the locked door and saw the girl to be laing before the door like a cat.  
  
How he hated to hear her to cry. Any woman to cry! Now however her sniffing was even sadder than before. He left his school bag behind and walked slowly toward the ghost. "Ghost?" he asked silently again.  
  
The bundle moved slightly and she looked up a bit. When she saw him she suddenly got up and brought a wide shining smile on her face. "i didn't notice you came home" she said putting her arms around his neck for a hug. Usually Inu-yasha would be red like tomato when she did this, but now he knew something was wrong and he didn't give another thought for the hug.  
  
He pulled her back and moved some hair from her face. "What's wrong?" She sniffed ones and then smiled even more brightly, but there was something unnatural in her smile. It was a forced smile and Inu-yasha noticed it.  
  
"Quit acting" he said strongly that startled her. "I know something's wrong. What is it?"  
  
Her smile dissappeared and she looked down. Slowly she turned to look at the door behind her. "Your brother, Sesshomaru, talked about the family that used to live here. I am the girl, but I can't remember a thing!" She started to cry and Inu-yasha bite his nails. How he haited when someone cried.  
  
Finally he put his arms around her and he could do it cause the girl chose to be more materialized. "Calm down" he said silently and he felt like he would be the big brother of hers. Only difference was that he usually blushed.  
  
"A-all I know's" the ghost sniffed and looked up at the door again. "That behind there is something that could help me."  
  
"Why can't you go there?" Inu-yasha asked. "You are a ghost right?!"  
  
The ghost sniffed again. "I am but. there is somekind of shield or something that. won't let me trough." She started to cry again. "I want to know who I am.!"  
  
That was barely a whisper, but Inu-yasha could hear it. She leaned against his chest needing support. In any other situtation he would blush now, but he was so bothered by her sniffing that he had no time to blush.  
  
Finally he pulled her back and with narrowed eyes he started to study on the door. He took a little of speed and run toward it his shoulder first. He was slammed right on the door and it didn't even move.  
  
"Are you okay?" the ghost came beside him when he was itting on the floor holding his shoulder.  
  
"Damn it hurted!" he hissed from between his teeths. "You have any idea where the key could be?"  
  
She shaked her head and then thought about it. "Maybe there would read in the diary!"  
  
"That's right!" Inu-yasha shouted standing up. He smiled, but blushed soon after when she came and hugged him.  
  
***Sesshomaru's floor***  
  
"Sess!" Inu-yasha shout running down the stairs. "Sess?!" he shout again and suddenly from behind a door jaken run toward him. He literally kicked the dog away. "Sesshomaru?!!" He shout louder.  
  
"I'm here, dumpass!" he heard a shout from downstairs and so he run down all the way.  
  
There Sesshomaru was sitting byt the table having a bred in his hand ready to be bitten. "Sesshomaru?!" Inu-yasha said accidently with a too loud voice.  
  
"I'm here idiot!" the older brother said. "I can hear you!"  
  
Inu-yasha was silent for a moment when the ghost-girl came down trough the roof beside him. "Was there in the diary said anything about a key that led into the locked room upstairs?" he finally asked knowing that Sesshomaru knew of what room this was about.  
  
Sesshomaru took a bite of his bred and thought about Inu-yasha's question. "Actually" he said swallowing the bred in his mouth. "There was something said about it." He stood up and put the bred in his mouth. Then he started toward the stairs.  
  
They entered Sesshomaru's bed room where on a desk was the old diary. Sesshomaru put the bred down on the table and then opened the book. There was a long silence when he looked for the information.  
  
Inu-yasha was blushing on the moment when the ghost was looking over his shoulder and holding her arms around his neck. She tightened her grip beeng too nervous to hear the information.  
  
"Here it is!" Sesshomaru shout and turned to look at Inu-yasha. Then his smile dissappeared and turned into a boring one. "Why are you blushing, Inu?"  
  
Inu-yasha swallowed and then looked away waving at him. "Just read it!"  
  
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and then started to read "I had planned to open every door in the house, but one was left locked. The reason for that was cause I had dropped the key somewhere into the basement. There is so dusty and no other light than the candle I had with me that it was impossible to find the key. So. My dear sisters room was left locked.." Sesshomaru stopped cause the rest of it had nothing to do with the key.  
  
He looked up to look at Inu-yasha, but he wasn't there. He heard his brother to run down the stairs. Sesshomaru run out from the room. "Inu- yasha!" he shout after him. "You are not allowed to go there!"  
  
Inu-yasha heard him to shout after him. "Like you ever followed orders?!" the younger of the brother shout and continued down.  
  
Sesshomaru knew he was right. He had been in the basement already twice and found things he would tell to Inu-yasha. He decided not to say anything anymore and went back to get his bred.  
  
***basement***  
  
The ghost-girl was carring a candlestick that had five candles beside Inu- yasha. Otherwise she would float above him, but the roof was so low. Inu- yasha, in other hand, was sweeping the floor with an old broom.  
  
"Here is dust of almost two hundred years" Inu-yasha said and it made him cough when all the dust got into his lungs. He took a cloth from his pocket that he had taken with him down here. He put it around his head to cover his nose and mouth. It wasn't so fun to breath like that, but atleast the dsut didn't get into his lungs so easily. He was also lucky to find so thin cloth.  
  
"Have found anything yet" the ghost asked after a while. That was maybe the hundred time already. Inu-yasha just shaked his head.  
  
He had found all kind of other things like cups, old clothes, wood and here was even an old bath. Almost everything else was found but the key.  
  
"Have you tried that place yet?" the ghost asked pointing on a chest.  
  
"You try it" Inu-yasha said as well as he could trough the cloth. He himself continued to look forward.  
  
The ghost put the candles down behind Inu-yasha (not too near ofcourse). She didn't need the lights when he went to the chest and slowly opened it. It was full of broken clothes and shoes. She digged deeper into the chest when she suddenly heard Inu-yasha to scream of surprise.  
  
Inu-yasha's leg went trough the rotten food and he shout of surprise. The ghost came immediately to him when he tried to get his leg out. He did get it, but he got also a long vut on his leg cause of some nail. "Arghh!" Inu- yasha looked at the found and decided that it was best to get out from here before all the dust would be caucht by his wound.  
  
The ghost helped him up when she suddenly saw something. She went to it and took the small item she saw. "The key!" she shout of happiness.  
  
Inu-yasha turned to look at her and smiled hissing immediately after it of pain. She smiled and helped him out taking the candlestick with her.  
  
***Inu-yasha's floor***  
  
After taking somehow care of the found Inu-yasha had gotten up and now he was trying the key on the locked room. His wound on his right leg hurted. He hissed again and then he turned the key. he heard a silent klick and the looked at the ghost smilingly.  
  
The ghost-girl looked like she would blow up of exitement any moment now. She came nearer him and waited him to open. He slowly opened the door.  
  
The room behind the door was bigger than any other room in same floor. He looked around and saw many furnitures covered with white sheet and the sheet was covered of dust. He hissed again when walking into the room, but it was nothing compared to his amazement when he looked at the walls and roof. They were painted and it was like he would be inside a forest.  
  
The ghost-girl were dancing in the middle of the room off happiness. When she stopped she smiled to him and went to him as well. "I remember now" she told him.  
  
A/N: Here I left a gliffhanger just to tease you! Not exactly, but I just thought it was good place to stop this chapter.  
  
For new chapter you have to wait three weaks and even more if I don't have time during those four days after I come home. I won't have any poissibilities to get to computer and I'm not at home. Not even in my home country so.  
  
The next chapter will be the tenth. I'm kinda happy cause that's a lot! It haven't taken me even long time if we don't count my abcense from home.  
  
Well the story have gone futher little differently than I had planned, but I like it like this better. First I planned to make Inu-yasha crazy after opening the locked room, but it goes much better like this. Soon there will be this psychiatrist and soon after it will become the christmas when they find the way to free the ghost from this world. Then starts Inu-yasha's fights with his heart ^_^ also there will be revealed also Sango's and Miroku's true relationship with not so lucky way.  
  
That's something for what's coming and I say again. I promised so I will to read my chapters trough and correct my mistakes. You don't need to remind me of it, but like I have said I don't have time during the summer.  
  
See ya! ^_^ 


	10. Shrink

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'toughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 10 Shrink  
  
Inu-yasha stared on the ghost girl who danced all around the room. He smiled slightly when he saw the girl so happy. She danced and danced. She took some sheets off furnitures of red and other natural colors. Inu-yasha didn't even dare to guess how old they were.  
  
"I remember!" the ghost shouted again laughing and dancing all the time. Then she stopped and looked at Inu-yasha. She gave a shy and happy smile to him.  
  
Inu-yasha saw her to fly towards him with very high speed. The ghost wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder when he was stunned by her actions. "Thank you to help me remember" she whispered sniffing of happiness.  
  
He was still stunned but managed finally to ask. ""What do you remember?"  
  
She pulled back and smilingly dryed her eyes. She looked up at him and then answered "I remember my name!" She danced again and floated high above Inu- yasha.  
  
"What is your name then?" Inu-yasha shouted after her.  
  
She looked down. "Oh! I forgot" she said when floating down. She stood before him and closed her eyes for a moment to calm her exitement. Then she opened them again and took his hand. "My name is Kagome. Very nice to meet you."  
  
Inu-yasha didn't actually understand why she shaked his hand when they had known already several days. "Why.?" he muttered.  
  
She looked puzzled but then followed his gaze down on their hands. "Oh that" she withdraw her hand and blushed slightly. "Well. I wanted to do that from the first time when we met, but. I didn't remember my name."  
  
Inu-yasha still stared at her puzzled, but then silently started to chucle that turned into laughing. Kagome stared her strangely. What was he laughing? She smiled and almost laughed herself when seeng him in so good mood.  
  
"What are you laughing at?" she asked chucling.  
  
Inu-yasha calmed a bit and looked at the girl. "Nothing serious" he said. "Just thinking how much easily we would have gotten if I would have opened this door earlier."  
  
The ghost chucled with him. "Well." she muttered. "It took time from me to remember what was behind this door."  
  
They were chucling for a time and then a silence fell between them. They glanced at each other with shyness.  
  
"Umm. Why was this room closed to all the ghosts?" he finally asked.  
  
The girl was silent. She walked to one of the white cheets and pulled it of a huge unfinished painting. The painting was a huge picture of a beautiful garden where a black haired Japanese woman stood with a huge hat and a basket full of roses.  
  
"I don't know the reason" Kagome whispered sighing. She touched the painting and then looked down. There was a dusty brush in a cub under the painting and the rack.  
  
"You don't know?!" he asked walking painfully toward her.  
  
Kagome nodded sighing again and then turned to look at Inu-yasha with slight sadness in her dark eyes.  
  
Inu-yasha was silent for a moment and then looked at the painting again. ""Who's she?"  
  
Kagome glanced behind her on him then at the painting that he pointed on. "She's my sister" she told him. "This is all I can remember of her 'cause I didn't see her often."  
  
He was silent and stared at her. There was a long silence between them until otherone of them broke it again.  
  
***at school on the next day***  
  
Miroku opened his lunch back that her mother often prepared for him. "You must admit that you are a bit crazy" he told Inu-yasha who leaned on the table boringly and had a hay in his mouth.  
  
They were sitting outside by a wooden table. All the students run in the yard looking for their friends and some were already eating their lunch. "Feh!"  
  
Miroku glanced at his friend and sighed. "Anyway." he said taking an appel from his lunch back. "To send you to a shrink is maybe too much."  
  
"In that I join you!" Inu-yasha said standing up. "Why is my mother sending me to a shrink. I wouldn't be surprised if Sesshomaru had something to do with it." He sat down again and sighed.  
  
"Don't take it so hard" Miroku said and took a bite from the apple. "It can't be so terrible. Just go there and listen all and come back. That's it."  
  
"You talk like you have experience of this" Inu-yasha muttered.  
  
Miroku coffed and spitted all the apple out from his mouth on Inu-yasha when hearing his remark. "Eheh" he tried to be calm.  
  
The other boy just stared at him with narrowed eyes. "So you really have experience" he pointed out taking paper to get all the apple stuff of his face.  
  
"Well." Miroku muttered. "My mother sent me more than often to a shrink for my.krhm. bad habit."  
  
"I do not wonder why" Inu-yasha muttered.  
  
Miroku smirked waiting his friend to come up with new things to say, but to his relief Kikyo came with Sango toward them.  
  
Sango and Kikyo both sat on both sides of Inu-yasha when Miroku was sitting on the other side of the table. "Ladies" Miroku said charmingly. "Don't be so cold!"  
  
The girls looked at each other and then looked at Miroku with freezing stare. He gulped and hid under the table.  
  
When everything was like always, expect that Kouga wasn't here to bother Inu-yasha like usually, everyone started to eat their lunches.  
  
"Inu-yasha" Kikyo said suddenly. The white haired boy turned to look at her having a carrot in his mouth. Quickly, however, he took it away and gave a stupid grin. Kikyo sighed sweetly and then leaned closer to him. "Would you like to come with me and drink coffee after school?"  
  
"Ofcourse he comes" Miroku said hitting Inu-yasha with his elbow when he suddenly came from under the table.  
  
"Right, Inu-yasha?!" Sango said leaning closer him.  
  
Inu-yasha was cornered. Not that, he wouldn't like to go, but he happened to have this shrink thing for tonight. Ofcourse he would want to pass it but. "I'm sorry" he said and Kikyo's smile dissappeared. "Couldn't we go some other day or so? It's just that. I have a shrink for tonight." He went silent.  
  
Sango and Kikyo stared at him and he felt real uncomfortable.  
  
"By the way" Miroku suddenly said beeng on his own place again. "What's the name of your shrink?"  
  
"Ummm." Inu-yasha thought. "It was something like tr Gin. or something."  
  
"What?!" Miroku shout. "You are going to be her patient? I have never heard of worse shrink, but atleast you get away from there in few minutes."  
  
Inu-yasha didn't understand then, but he believed that he will understand soon.  
  
***at the shrink***  
  
"Tr Gin will take you in now" one young and cute girl told Inu-yasha.  
  
He stood up from his chair where he had been sitting. He sighed. It wasn't fun to wait in an empty and white room with black chairs and nothing to read. The room, however, where the doctor was waiting him wasn't so white. The walls were of calm green and there were many bookshells.  
  
A white haired woman walked toward him. She offered her hand for greeting. "I'm tr Gin and you are Inu-yasha I believe."  
  
He nodded. 'Immediately using first names, aren't we?!' he thought. She gestured him to lay down on a black bed kind of chair (you know what I mean, right?). He laid down and she satt beside him on a soft looking chair.  
  
"So" she started. "Why are you sent here?" She put big round eyeglasses on her nose and looked down the paper waiting an answer.  
  
"Haven't they told you?" he asked.  
  
"Well. Usually they do inform me but this time they didn't" she answered coldly.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed and then told the situtation. Not in his opinion and not in his parents opinion. Just that he saw a ghost and that's all. Also he didn't tell more about what he had found out with the ghost that now remembered his name.  
  
After a short while the doctor satt there leaning lightly backwards in the chair and hitting his lowerlip with her pencil when thinking on the situtation. 'Just get over with this' Inu-yasha thought when he laid uncomfortably on the black furniture.  
  
"You know" Gin finally said. She didn't look at her patience. Her eyes were like glass and looking at nothing particular. "To see a ghost isn't strange at all."  
  
Inu-yasha didn't understand what she ment by that. He was about to say something, but stopped. He didn't know anyone else beside himself who had seen a ghost, but if he would say that to the shrink it may make everything worse than it was.  
  
"If you see a ghost it means that you want to see a ghost" the woman said now turning toward Inu-yasha. "I have had lots of these kindof patiences and nothing helps them. They are sick from the brain." She pointed on her head with the pen.  
  
Inu-yasha got on his elbows staring at her. What was this about?  
  
"Get up now!" she said waving his hands. "No need for you to bee here!"  
  
It was a clear order and after a short moment of wondering he got up and stood before the doctor. The doctor stood up as well and gestured him to go toward the door.  
  
Very confused about everything he did as she wanted and then when they were beside the door she bushed him out.  
  
He looked back when Gin told the cute girl he had seen earlier that she wouldn't let Inu-yasha anymore here. His case was uncurable. Then the doctor went back into her working room.  
  
He sighed and hands in his pockets he walked out. It was quick just like Miroku had told him.  
  
A/N:  
  
First of all I'm very sorry for my long absence. I haven't been much at home and I had broblems to finish this chapter. However I hope I haven't lost all of my readers cause of this.  
  
This is the first chapter that I have checked for mistakes so if you find some pleace inform me of them. I'll soon start working on the old chapters. If there are mistakes in A/N you don't need to tell me. They aren't important. It's just the story.  
  
I hope I'll soon get the next chapter here, but we'll see about that.  
  
Sneak peeks: Soon Inu-yasha will find someone to talk to about the ghost and Miroku's and Sango's true relationship will be revealed. Christmas is coming nearer as well.  
  
Untill next time.. See ya! 


	11. Graveyard

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 11 Graveyard  
  
Is it possible to have this bad luck? When Inu-yasha got to the school again after a week meeting the shrink (ofcourse he had been in the school during that week) there was no one of his friends in the school.  
  
Kikyo and Sango had left for a camp and they would come back on Wednesday and now was Monday morning. Miroku had informed that he wouldn't be coming to school so everything was just great for Inu-yasha.  
  
When he walked in to the school's yard he saw that everyone was staring at him. On last week he hadn't noticed anything like that. Why were they staring him now or had they been staring him from the very beginning?  
  
He looked around and always when he met someone's eyes they turned quickly to look away. Everyone run away when he got too near. It felt uncomfortable when everyone tried to be far away from him.  
  
Just like everything wasn't already bad Kouga came to him with his group when Inu-yasha was putting his things into his locker.  
  
"Have you seen any ghosts lately?" Kouga asked smiling teasingly when his companions laughed.  
  
Inu-yasha grabbed a book from his bag on the same moment when he heard his personal rival. He bit his lover lip hard almost drawing blood when he tried to act calm. He was showing his back to Kouga and the others.  
  
After a moment of trembling in anger Inu-yasha put the book in the locker. He sighed and slowly turned around his golden eyes burning but otherwise remaining calm. "Sorry, but I don't have time for this!" he said taking his bag and closing the locker.  
  
Kouga's eyes flashed slightly of disappointment, but it didn't stop him. "What are you going to do now when Miroku isn't here to baby-sit you, ghostbuster?" He gave a pitiful face and his friends laughed again.  
  
Inu-yasha's muscles hardened when he tried to keep calm - act calm. He trembled hard and from Kouga's smile you could guess that his trembling was noticed. "Don't try my patience!" Inu-yasha growled narrowing his eyes.  
  
Kouga folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. The two of them stared straight into each other's eyes. The people around them started to get uncomfortable. This wasn't the first or second time when the rivals were about to start a fight. The first time when Chaz took care of the detention wasn't last between them.  
  
Some people near them were actually more interested and came nearer to see if the fight was about to begin. Just then Chaz (why he's always there were he's needed?) walked toward the gathering groups with Myoga. When he saw a hint of white hair in the middle of the people it didn't take much time from the teacher to realise what was going on. He started straight toward the group.  
  
"Why would I try someone's patience, who's ghost would come to help anyway?!" Kouga yawned and smiled to Inu-yasha narrowing his eyes. Inu- yasha narrowed his eyes from before and started to growl. It wasn't only the insults (that are lame couse I'm not good with coming up with some insults *sweatdrop*), but the main reason was Kouga himself. How he hated this one and he was just about to get his fist to work when a stronger hand catch it.  
  
Chaz held Inu-yasha's arm tight in his hand not letting the younger one to end the hit. Kouga smiled triumphantly, but the angry look the math teacher gave changed Kouga's expression. "You are both disappointing me" Chaz told them. "Neither one of you are better than the other." When he felt that Inu- yasha's arm was anymore ready for a hit he let it go.  
  
Chaz who was taller than both of them put his hands on his hips and sighed. Then with narrowed eyes he looked first at Inu-yasha and then at Kouga. "If I find you one more time like this." he left the rest of it hanging as a warning.  
  
Kouga swallowed and then glanced at Inu-yasha. The white haired guy didn't seem to be very worried. He didn't seem so, but in his mind Inu-yasha knew that he would better be far from any fights.  
  
***on the way home from school***  
  
It was already pritty dark and also cold. The winter was coming and the wind was freezing. Inu-yasha lifted the collar of his jacket up trying to keep them wind away from his neck. He had been in school very late cause he had some bigger jobs to do and for those he needed a computer. And to his luck he didn't own one!  
  
That was why he had staid in the school to get his jobs done. It felt kinda lonely when you had no friends with you there but there was more people than he had imagined to be on the evening.  
  
He was also in a hurry to get home cause his mother had invited some people to them this evening. He needed to be there just before they came. He run on the dark streets where usually weren't many cars.  
  
He had still a long way if he didn't cross the graveyard. That made his spine chill. He didn't want to cross it. Especially at this hour. Anyway. there used to be some strange people during night.  
  
When he finally got to the graveyard he stopped on the gate. He had to hurry but if he didn't cross right here he had a long way to go yet. He looked around. There seemed to be no one. Swallowing hard he stepped inside the gates and looked around again.  
  
It didn't matter how brave you really were but a graveyard wasn't any fun place on dark hours. Every noise you heard made your spine chill and made you turn around to look as well.  
  
Slowly and looking around nervously Inu-yasha got forward. The tombstone's in this part were old and big one. There were some faint lights on the streets that made long shadows of the tombstones The leaves had already fallen from the trees and on the graveyard the was so many trees! The branches looked like they would be reaching for him.  
  
He got forward anyway, but then he heard spine-chilling voices from behind. He heard steps, but no one had been here. What was that voice!? He didn't dare to turn around but continued forward.  
  
The steps came closer and that made Inu-yasha swallow again. 'It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination.' he repeated in his mind over and over again. It didn't matter if you have a ghost in your house, but this was creepy.  
  
The steps came closer and just then Inu-yasha dared to glance quickly behind him. All he actually saw was a dark figure and a reaching hand. Then Inu-yasha got enough and he started to run away.  
  
"Wait!" he heard a shout from behind him, but didn't pay more attention to it. He run and run until he saw the gate out from the yard, but just then there were at least seven dark figures before him. He didn't see faces only eyes of tall mans. They reached for him.  
  
The dark figure that had shouted after Inu-yasha stopped when he saw these seven people to get on Inu-yasha. They kicked, they hit the guy and Inu- yasha could only scream. The dark figure showed his white teethes in anger and his brown eyes narrowed. He reached for his belt where he had one wooden and one real sword.  
  
Inu-yasha was on the ground and when five of the guys were kicking his head, stomach and legs two of them were looking for money from his bag. He was holding on his stomach with his hands and his eyes were tightly closed. He tasted his own blood in his mouth and every place hurt.  
  
Then suddenly something bright slashed before his eyes. The five around him started to scream and he felt how someone else's blood flew on his face. He narrowed his eyes open again and saw how the two on his bag now aided the five.  
  
What was going on?  
  
The bright light slashed again and the guys howled of pain. He saw how four of them were already running away, but then he saw one of the three remaining to take something from under his pocket.  
  
Two of the remaining were fighting against a dark figure and the third had now a gun in his hand. What was going on!? Inu-yasha tried to shout a warning when he saw the other guy to aim on the helper. No voice came out from his mouth.  
  
He tried to move his legs. The guy with the gun was just inside his reach and with all his strength not caring of the pain he kicked that guy. A loud bang echoed in every edge of the graveyard.  
  
All that Inu-yasha then heard was a howl of pain from the helper and screams from the guys..  
  
After all was over the dark figure hobbled toward fainted Inu-yasha. "My brother was right" the figure sighed smirking painfully right after. "You were going to get into trouble."  
  
***the place where Inu-yasha wakes up***  
  
Inu-yasha felt calm. He was lying on something that was like a sofa. He didn't open his eyes, but from the voice's he could guess that he wasn't alone. He heard one familiar and one unfamiliar voice. Also he could guess that they were in a car cause he heard the voice's outside and the voice of the engine.  
  
"Is he wake yet" the familiar voice asked when Inu-yasha slowly opened his eyes. His eyes however widened quickly when he saw familiar face looking at him trough the rearview mirror.  
  
He saw the mossgreen and grey hair. It was Chaz driving the car! Inu-yasha lifted his head quickly, but smirking he let it fall again. "Try to be calm, Inu-yasha" Chaz said looking at the road before them again.  
  
On the other front seat was sitting someone with cheek-long brown hair and he held his legs on the panel. His hands were behind his head and he seemed to be very calm thought Inu-yasha could see a green bottle on his lap.  
  
He himself was lying on the back seat having his head on the same side with this strange guy and his legs were behind Chaz's seat.  
  
"What's." Inu-yasha tried to say but he had a terrible headache so he stopped when lifting his hand on his forehead.  
  
"Don't worry" Chaz said calmly turning the wheel. "I called you mother and told her that you would be in hospital and I bring you back tomorrow."  
  
"However. We are not really going to take you to hospital" the other one said and his voice caused Inu-yasha's eyes to go wide.  
  
'It's a she!' he shout in his mind when realising that the brown haired one was a girl. "Why?" Inu-yasha managed to ask after a moment.  
  
"Why." the girl repeated, but she didn't answer the question and so didn't Chaz. There was silent in the car and the street lights flashed by.  
  
"Where are you taking me then?" Inu-yasha asked even thought it hurt. "Why are you making this?"  
  
Chaz glanced at him and sighed. "If I wouldn't have asked my sister to follow you" he said keeping a short pause. "I don't know what would have happened." He shaked his head slightly and then glanced at his sister who took the bottle and smiled to him.  
  
The woman looked over her seat at Inu-yasha. "We are taking you to Chaz's place" she answered one of his questions. "Just remember that you must be careful. The people there have marked you and they will need you for their goal."  
  
"Who are they?" Inu-yasha asked. "Only one I could think on is Kouga." he said silently.  
  
"Kouga?" Chaz asked glancing behind him. "Then he shaked his head. "Never Kouga. Never have Kouga had nothing to do with this."  
  
The woman closed her eyes and then took again an comfortable position despite her pain in her leg. After what Chaz said a heavy silence fell on all of them. Inu-yasha rubbed on his tender cheek and wondered what was this all about.  
  
They drove sometime before they left Chaz's sister by a bar. Inu-yasha had during that time gotten enough strength to sit up and she noticed that the woman's leg was hurt. She assured him that it was okay and so they drove to Chaz's home.  
  
This was a small village, yes, but this place seemed like the worst places you could find from Tokyo. Chaz however assured him that this was maybe one of the most secure places if wanted to get rid of people like those who attacked Inu-yasha.  
  
When they got into Chaz's apartment Inu-yasha was too tired to ask anything thought there were too much to ask. He just fell asleep on a sofa in the apartment.  
  
A/N: Now I got the next chapter here. I have been doing so many things same time with this one so plese understand that I don't get new chapters as oftenly as in the begining.  
  
Anyway. This chapter. I hope is checked right. I also spellchekced the first chapter so I hope I'll get more time in chekcing on the old ones. Also I found a mistake about the season in the first chapter and changed it.  
  
That's for now. I think.  
  
To those who maybe have been wondering where Shippo is. He's coming. Trust me ;) 


	12. Life is a movie

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 12 Life is a movie  
  
On the morning Inu-yasha was first very confused by the place where he woke up, but when it hurt every part of his body he remembered. He had been attacked by a group in graveyard and his mother was informed that he was in hospital.  
  
What he wondered now was how Chaz could get her usually so over concerned mother not to go and check on his son. What would he tell her anyway when he got home. If she knew the truth about the attack so did Sesshomaru. This seemed bad.  
  
He sat up and looked around. The apartment wasn't very big. It was only one room, kitchen and bathroom. Beside the main door was a bed that could easily hide under the sofa that was surprisingly big.  
  
From the kitchen he smelled coffee and roasted bred and when he started to listen carefully everything around him he could find muttering. He glanced toward the windows of the apartment and behind there on a balcony was Chaz talking into a mobile phone.  
  
Inu-yasha stood up smirking and walked toward a mirror he saw hanging on the wall. First he held his eyes closed when standing before it. then slowly sighing he opened his eyes. His other eye was swollen and black. He barely could open it. His lower lip was split open, but now the blood had gotten dry around his cheek. Also from the corner of his mouth came dry blood lines.  
  
"Damn!" he muttered just when the door to the balcony opened. Chaz came in and saw him before the mirror. He sighed and then went to the kitchen.  
  
Inu-yasha followed him with his eyes and was quiet. After a moment however he decided to go into the kitchen and ask a question that bothered him most. "Why are you doing this?" he asked folding his arms and leaning on the frame of the door despite his pain.  
  
Chaz poured coffee into two cups silently. Inu-yasha had asked the same question last night in the car. How could he explain this? "My brother were killed by the same people who attacked you" he said silently and then went to the toast and put them on two plates.  
  
Inu-yasha looked down. Someone was killed. By the same people. "Who are they?" he asked looking up again. Chaz showed his back to him now, but Inu- yasha could see that this wasn't easy for him.  
  
Chaz closed his eyes for a moment and then put the cups and plates on a tray. He turned to look at Inu-yasha. "Let's go to the table" he said nodding toward the only room in the flat. Inu-yasha first they kneeled down beside a low table and then Chaz gave him the cup of coffee and the toasts that had some jam on them.  
  
"I called to the school and told Kaede that I won't be coming to school" he was silent for a moment. "You don't need to inform of it. They won't bother with it if you are only one day off." He took a sip of the coffee that was actually real hot and black.  
  
Inu-yasha noticed that Chaz was avoiding to answer. Again. He stared hard at his teacher who was maybe five years older or so. Chaz glanced at him quickly, but still didn't answer. After a long silent moment Chaz sighed.  
  
"It doesn't matter how long you will stare at me" the older one of them said staring straight into Inu-yasha's eyes. "But I won't tell you. I won't take the blame if you will get hurt cause I told you. If you want to know, find out it yourself."  
  
Inu-yasha looked down and took his cub. In what kind of game he had gotten into? Isn't this a usual little village far from Tokyo. He glanced out of the window. All the houses in this part were tall and very badly taken care of.  
  
"However" Chaz said sighing and getting Inu-yasha's attention again. "You are already part of this. thing." He didn't get any right word into his mind or he didn't want to use any better word. He looked into Inu-yasha's golden eyes. "My brother was killed by them for a reason I don't know. With my sister we want to find out why, but then realised that you got a part in this. That is why I told my sister to follow you. Like me she also is a master of kendo as well of western sword fighting."  
  
Inu-yasha studied on him. He had always thought that this guy was his tuff math teacher, but it seemed like he had come his mortal guardian angel. How had he gotten into something like this?  
  
"My brother was killed only three months ago" Chaz talked again now being lost in his thoughts and memories. "He was only twelve years old and just about to be thirteen." Now he looked at Inu-yasha with sorrowful eyes.  
  
Then he shook his head. "Why am I telling you this" he muttered and then looked at Inu-yasha showing a weak smile.  
  
Inu-yasha had been silently wondering it himself. However he had another question in his mind. "How. why am I a part of this?" he asked.  
  
Chaz looked at him again. "Cause you live in the haunted mansion."  
  
That was a simple answer but something that made Inu-yasha's eyes widen. What was this all about? He moved from Tokyo to an estate that was said to be haunted. He finds a ghost and now this. 'Do Sesshomaru know something of this', he wondered.  
  
***back home***  
  
"Oh my dear son!" Inu-yasha's mom shout of happiness and worry when hugging the eighteen years old guy warmly and strongly. "Are you okay? What happened?" She looked at his son who was just a bit taller than her.  
  
Inu-yasha only rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, mother" he told her knowing well that she wouldn't bite it. "I'm fine." Then he saw Sesshomaru to come down the stairs.  
  
""Oh. My brother are still with the living" Sesshomaru said when Jaken run after him down the stairs. The dog was soon before Inu-yasha growling low. To that Inu-yasha rolled his eyes. "I would have thought that your mother killed you in her emprace." He gave a wide teasing smile.  
  
Inu-yasha's mother turned to look at Sesshomaru surprisingly angry. "Don't talk like that, young man!" she growled. She had been worried when she hadn't heard of her son on yesterday's evening and then this teacher of his had called. Even so she had been real worried and now she saw his son to be in bad condition.  
  
Sesshomaru stared at her not believing that his gentle stepmother could be so angry. "What are you doing here, Sess?" Inu-yasha asked trying to get his brother and mother away from each other's throat. "shouldn't you be in school?"  
  
Sesshomaru stared at her for a longer moment and then looked down at Inu- yasha. "I have no school today cause I have a big exam tomorrow" he explained.  
  
Then he was silent for a moment. "Who did beat you up, Inu?" he asked reaching to examine his face and smirking at the same time on what he saw.  
  
Inu-yasha smirked as well, but of pain when his brother touched his tender cheek. He hit Sesshomaru's hand away and hissed. "Who did this, is not your concern" he said strongly and then took his bag that Chaz's sister hadn't left to the graveyard.  
  
Then he just showed his back to his mother and brother when he started toward the stairs. When Jaken tried to stop him he just kicked the dog away and continued up.  
  
***fourth floor***  
  
Inu-yasha sat on his bed sighing deep. He covered his face into his hands just when he felt the gold breach again. "I'm not in a good mood right now" he warned the ghost who stared at him worriedly.  
  
Kagome floated around him in a safe distance and after a moment sat down on the bed beside him. "Is this my fault?" she asked silently fearing that the fact that she was a ghost was the reason for the beat-up.  
  
Inu-yasha looked at her. Just then she closed her eyes and shining transparent tears started to fall on her cheeks. He gulped not liking to see her to cry again and most of all cause of him. "Stop that already" he ordered with a bit too strong voice.  
  
She looked quickly up at him. She had worry in her eyes and that made Inu- yasha gulp again. "What happened?" she asked him silently reaching for his tender cheek. Her hand however felt much more better than Sesshomaru's. The reason maybe was that her touch was cool and faint.  
  
"I just got beaten up" he said more cheerfully and smiling faintly. He wanted her to smile again like she usually did. He wanted to see that smile she had given him when she realised that he could see her. "This isn't the first time." 'But this is the first time here' he thought right after.  
  
Kagome noticed how his face turned quickly into a serious one. What was he thinking? She got nearer him and before he could think she was hugging him. He felt how he blushed when feeling her cool and transparent body against his body.  
  
She worried so much for him. Just like his mother. He couldn't tell her the truth to make her worry more, but he knew one to whom he could talk. He wasn't happy to admit it, but there was no one else on whom he could trust this thing.  
  
***third floor***  
  
"So you are telling that seven strange guys attacked you when you crossed trough the graveyard?" Sesshomaru asked looking over a book that he was reading. He lifted his other brow at Inu-yasha who had told of the attack and only of it. He had decided not to talk about Chaz or his sister at this rate.  
  
"Do you know why they did attack you?" Sesshomaru asked putting the book down on the table that was before him.  
  
"One guy said it have something to do with the fact that I'm living in this mansion" Inu-yasha told his brother and sat down on the other side of the table. "And a boy was killed by the same guys."  
  
Sesshomaru leaned back on the chair were he was sitting and stared his brother who's eye was still black but not swollen. "I have heard of this boy" he said silently and looked down.  
  
Jaken wasn't in the room now and Inu-yasha was happy for it. the reason was that he was thought to attack the one who makes Sesshomaru look worried. 'Just like Sesshomaru' Inu-yasha thought and sighed.  
  
"I don't know of much of the murder" the older brother said returning to be his usual self. "I still know that the police didn't want to get any part in this and that is why the murder is called and accident. All I can guess is that there is something big behind this." He looked at Inu-yasha shrugging his shoulders.  
  
Inu-yasha looked out of the window that was in the room. What was going on? He left the room quite soon after not noticing Sesshomaru to take many strange books from their hiding places.  
  
He walked to the upper floors and when he got into his bed room he laid on his back on his bed. He stared at the roof getting all the time more questions. He thought on the happenings of these weeks he had lived here. It's more than a month that he have lived here. Why this all appeared now? Why not earlier? What were the real reasons for Chaz's silence?  
  
"I must find out" he whispered just when someone knocked on his door. He sat up and stared at the door until this someone knocked again. This wasn't another one of those games the ghost tried on him?  
  
He walked to the door and opened it. There was Sesshomaru standing leaning on the wall beside the door. "I was thinking on this all and I know someone who might know more about this" he said offering a peace of paper to his brother.  
  
"You can find this guy from Saloon Bar" he told the younger one. "I can show you the place from the map."  
  
Inu-yasha gestured Sesshomaru to come in and then took a map book he held under his table on the table and opened it. Sesshomaru found soon the place from the map and pointed it. Inu-yasha grabbed a pen and made a circle around the place.  
  
"Ask for Aliz" Sesshomaru told Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha glanced at him lifting his other brow. "You sound just like you would be from some kind of movie" he said.  
  
Sesshomaru smiled to him and then hit Inu-yasha's back. "Life is a big movie, isn't it" he laughed heartily first time in a long while in Inu- yasha's memory.  
  
Inu-yasha smiled. "Thanks, Sess" he said.  
  
"Don't thank me yet" Sesshomaru warned him when he finally got out from the room.  
  
A/N: Someone asked what was the problem with Gin, the shrink. I hadn't planned any big part for her, but I could come up with something more. That is why I ask do you want my crazy Gin come into the picture yet again? Tell me.  
  
I got this sooner ready than I thought. I actually got exited about writing again and I had quite good picture of what would happen in this chapter.  
  
There has also happened pig changes into the original plan, but I still like this better. I have a certain goal in this story. I know how it exactly ends, but to get there is another story. I don't even know how long this will be. I also gave Chaz and his sister a bigger part than I had planned.  
  
I also have a quite good picture of the next chapter but will see when I get it ready. I could get it ready even today thought I'm going to write Stuck in one time next.  
  
Oh well. It's just like me to change many things when writing and come up with better or worse ideas. Tell me what do you like in the story! I would be very happy to know.  
  
Thanks! 


	13. It's painful, isn't it

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 13 It's painful, isn't it  
  
Later on the evening when the darkness was falling and the weather was getting cold Inu-yasha walked forward in a part of the village he didn't like of. This wasn't far from Chaz's flat he realised.  
  
He took the little peace of paper that Sesshomaru had given him. There was some more instructions on the paper on how he would recognise this guy. First of all. He shouldn't mention his name and he always had a big bottle before him even thought he didn't seem to be very drunk.  
  
'Saloon Bar' he thought. 'What a stupid name.' Then he stopped seeing a red neon sign above a wooden door. The door was open and you could hear the music to the spot where Inu-yasha was. 'Well. It's not as loud as it's usually in Tokyo.' He walked toward the door wondering what kind of place was it.  
  
However anything wouldn't surprise him anymore. This village was strange okay! He stepped in being happy that he was already eighteen but cursing the fact that he looked so much younger in some peoples eyes.  
  
The place inside was very dark and the air was smoky. Not to wonder when everyone was smoking and there was no good air conditioner. He sighed and then put his hands into his jacket's pockets.  
  
He walked straight toward the counter. There he sat on a high chair. When the barkeeper asked what he wanted he ordered a beer. Then he looked around. The whole place was like a saloon from old west movies.  
  
The barkeeper brought the beer, but he didn't let him take it immediately. "Are you eighteen, babyface?" the barkeeper, a big man into every direction (especially horizontally), asked smiling evilly.  
  
Inu-yasha glanced up at him from under his dark brows. "I am, so knock it of" he growled. He hated to be called baby face. Especially Sesshomaru called him that when he couldn't get anything from a bar in Tokyo when he was eighteen.  
  
"Don't get angry" the barkeeper said lifting his hands as defeat and leaving the beer before Inu-yasha. "Even thought I don't believe you at least I have some excuse to the police if I need one." Inu-yasha glanced at the fat man. How crazy was the city?  
  
He took a sip of the beer and then leaned heavily on the counter his white hair falling over his shoulders. How could he find this guy? What was he doing here in the first place?  
  
His life was going crazy! Nothing made sense anymore. He just wished that Kikyo and Sango would come back soon and Miroku could finally come back to school, what ever were his reason's for his absence.  
  
Suddenly someone real drunk guy walked past him and when going so hit accidentally on Inu-yasha's back. Inu-yasha hissed. Still every part of his body hurt.  
  
"It's painful, isn't it" he heard a voice from behind. He didn't first turn around cause he thought that it wasn't for him.  
  
When he felt something hit the back of his head he turned around. In a dark corner beside a table was sitting someone. This guy, who ever it was, was keeping his other leg on a chair and the other one on the table. Before him was a big almost empty bottle of strong alcohol.  
  
"It's painful, isn't it" the guy repeated and leaned toward revealing his face to the light.  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes widened.  
  
***the mansion***  
  
Kagome floated in a circle in the fourth floor wondering where Inu-yasha had gone at this time of night. Usually he was home every evening talking with her and writing letters to Koishi.  
  
She had been watching on the TV when Inu-yasha's parents had been watching the news. She had been sitting on a high bookshelf and stared at the box with a picture. Inu-yasha had explained to her what it was couple of days ago. Still it was amazing.  
  
In the TV they had told that it would start snowing any time now and that the temperature would go very fast below zero (Celsius). That made Kagome worry even more when Inu-yasha hadn't taken much on him when going out.  
  
The ghost finally decided to go down stairs and so she went trough the floor down to Sesshomaru's floor. Just to find something else to think she decided to find Sesshomaru.  
  
There were so many big rooms in this floor that she didn't know which place to look first. To find Jaken wasn't a hard task. The dog was sleeping in his basket. She sighed and went trough the walls from a room to another.  
  
Finally he got into the small library. It was quite dark. Only one candle was on the table giving light and behind it was Sesshomaru sitting and reading on a book. She floated behind him wondering what he was reading.  
  
To her surprise when she got behind him he closed the book quickly. Something else made her even more surprised.  
  
"Reading over my shoulder again?"  
  
Kagome's eyes widened. Could Inu-yasha's wicked brother see her. She floated carefully before him. He held his eyes closed and he seemed to concentrate.  
  
"I can't see you but I can feel you" he told her and opened his eyes. To her surprise he was staring straight into her eyes. She felt uncomfortable. She moved to the left and noticed that Sesshomaru closed his eyes again.  
  
"It would be much easier if you were still" Sesshomaru said with a neutral voice. Then he turned his head again and when he opened his eyes he was staring again straight into Kagome's eyes. She breathed hard. Or at least her chest was going quick up and down.  
  
After a long moment Sesshomaru turned his eyes away from her. He didn't know that he was staring at her. He just somehow sensed that he was on that point and when she moved he had to concentrate very hard to find her again.  
  
He stood up and blew the candle. "I have something to show you" he told her opening the door of the room. "Please follow cause I can't make sure are you near or far or here at all.2 Then he walked out from the room.  
  
Kagome staid still for a moment wondering should she go. After a moment she didn't see anything bad in it so she went trough the wall following her into another room in the third floor.  
  
***Saloon Bar***  
  
Inu-yasha was very surprised by the fact that the same woman that had helped him back at the graveyard. "Come here, boy" she gestured for him to sit down by the table.  
  
Inu-yasha was silent for a moment and then took hid beer. He sat down by the table studying now this woman more. She couldn't be more than two years older than he was. She had sleepy eyes, but in any other way you couldn't tell if she was drunk or not. However she had that bottle on the table. She had had a bottle back in the car as well, right?  
  
Then he noticed her leg on the chair that was wrapped in bandages. He got a flash back of her seeing her to limp into the bar. This is the same bar! He suddenly realised. Well, it wasn't more to think about, but her leg. "Was it you who screamed so badly back then?" he asked nodding toward her leg.  
  
She gave a smirk and scratched her hair. "Well. If you wouldn't have kicked the guy the bullet would have hit my heart" was all that she gave as an answer. "But I'm used with these kind of wounds."  
  
Inu-yasha just nodded. Then he remembered the guy he was meant to look for. "By the way" he said and got the woman's attention just when she was going to take a gulp from the bottle. "You know a guy called Aliz?" he asked.  
  
The woman put the bottle down on the table. He looked straight into Inu- yasha's eyes. "I do" she told him with a face that told Inu-yasha that she was studying him.  
  
"Could you tell where to find him?" he asked.  
  
"It's not him. It's she."  
  
'What?' Inu-yasha shout in his mind. 'And Sesshomaru hadn't told me a detail like that.'  
  
"Let me guess" the woman said. "You are brother to that tall white haired guy Sesshomaru, aren't ya?"  
  
Inu-yasha stared at her hard. "How did you know?" he stammered. "I mean. How do you know him?"  
  
"So you are" she whispered. "No wonder when you have both white hairs." She looked at him and realised that he wanted to know how she knew Sesshomaru. "He comes here often with his friends from the college and I'm almost living here." She took the bottle, "and drinking every night", and took a gulp of it.  
  
They were silent for a long moment. Then Inu-yasha asked again the unanswered question. "Where can I find this Aliz?"  
  
The woman glanced up at him. "Right in front of you" she said and took another gulp. His eyes widened and her lips curled up into a smile. She put the bottle down again. "Yes. I'm Aliz." she explained. "Also called the Native Alcoholic, but no more about it." She waved her hand like pushing her last words out from the conservation.  
  
Then she snapped her finger's to the bar keeper taking the last gulp from the bottle. "Bring me the same and to my friend what he wants" she told the bar keeper.  
  
"Haven't you already enough?" the bar keeper asked like he did every night after Aliz had been drinking three bottles of strong alcohol.  
  
Inu-yasha saw how Aliz's brown eyes started t burn. "You are not the one to tell me that!" she growled like every night. "You are not my mom!" She was just about to stand up and go and hit the guy, but the bar keeper was already taking a bottle.  
  
She relaxed down. "Don't forget my friend" she reminded the bar keeper.  
  
"No!" Inu-yasha was quick to say. "This is okay."  
  
She glanced at him and then shrugged her shoulder. "I will pay his beer" she then told the bar keeper when the fat man brought the bottle.  
  
"There is no need for that" Inu-yasha told her when the bar keeper left.  
  
"Don't worry" she told him. "It's not my money anyway" she told him smiling calmly. He just had to wonder who's money was it. She opened the bottle the bar keeper had brought and took quickly one big gulp from it.  
  
Inu-yasha was silent taking now a bigger gulp from the beer than earlier. He had to get something out from this girl. He wanted to know more about these guys who attacked him, but what if this girl was just like her brother.  
  
Inu-yasha was silent and decided to wait until she was drunk enough.  
  
***back in the mansion***  
  
Sesshomaru had showed a big painting of the man who had written the diary he was reading. He however didn't know what the ghost thought about it. He wished he could see her. He wished he could hear her. Talk to her.  
  
He light the candle in the small library again. He opened the book sighing continuing reading. He could continue that for a moment, but then he heard the door bell to ring. He put the book down and listened.  
  
He didn't hear his parents to move or anything but he did hear Jaken to run down the stairs barking. The bell rang again and Sesshomaru waited it to ring couple of more times before he stood up.  
  
'Where are they?' he wondered in his mind. His father and stepmother should be home right. He walked down the stairs and heard nothing when being on the second floor. Just to check on wasn't they really home he pressed his ear against their bedroom door.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Then the bell rang again. He sighed and walked down not bothering to run. When he got down he saw a big peace of paper on the door and writing on it. he walked to the door and at the same time when opening the door he read the message.  
  
His father and stepmother were in a restaurant. Well. That didn't bother him. He liked to be alone and Inu-yasha wasn't back home yet.  
  
When he got the door almost wholly open he turned to look who it was. "You.!" he said surprised when Jaken attacked the intruder.  
  
***on the way home***  
  
Inu-yasha walked forward the dark streets. This time he didn't even think on crossing trough the graveyard. He took the longer way that had also more lights. His talk with Aliz was fruitless. She hadn't told even as much as Chaz.  
  
Of her brother she talked only when he mentioned him. Then she had showed a long scar on her left arm. She said that she got it when she tried to save her brother. It also almost caused her death. This wasn't a game Inu-yasha realised.  
  
When he asked about her drinking she was silent. She didn't tell was she drinking for her brother or not. Even so she was very drunk when he had started to ask about the happenings, but still she didn't even accidentally reveal anything.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed and lifted the collar of his jacket to cover his neck. What was going on? He looked around when he finally reached the street where their mansion was. He stopped for a moment looking around wanting to make sure that there was no one following him.  
  
Breathing deep he started forward. He stopped yet again right before his home. There were lights on in his floor. But he had switched the lights off.  
  
With out another thought he toward the door trough the yard.  
  
A/N: I know I'm making Aliz's drinking very hard and she needs very many bottles before falling asleep. Just don't let that bother the story okay. I just want to keep her that way I created her in the first place. She's the oldest one of the Inu-yasha characters I created. I created her long ago for a story I never wrote in the end.  
  
I have also now spell checked chapters from 2 to 4. Quite good from me in one day. I must take care of the rest of the chapters as well. I try to work out my mistakes myself, but if someone is willing to read my chapters before I put them into ff.net you can send me an email so we can talk. Or actually write ~_^  
  
I noticed some very often found bad mistakes. I always write shaked even thought it should bee shook. *sweatdrop* Now I try, however, to write it right all the time. 


	14. Surprise Guest

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 14 Surprise guest  
  
"There is a strange guy in the house" Kagome told Inu-yasha when he got into the house. The picture Sesshomaru had shown her had brought more memories, but she had decided not to tell Inu-yasha about what happened with Sesshomaru.  
  
Inu-yasha stared at her taking his dirty shoes off and placing them beside the door with other shoes. Who might this guy be? "Is Sesshomaru home?" he asked. "My parents?"  
  
"Sesshomaru is but your parents are in a restaurant or something" she shrugged her shoulder's. "Sesshomaru seemed to recognise this guy. That is why he's here and Jaken was overly happy or angry when he came."  
  
Inu-yasha stopped when taking his jacket off not wanting to go up yet. 'Can Jaken be happy?' he asked himself and then took the jacket off. "Well, you better not appear while I'm checking on him okay" he told her and she nodded. "It's better that he doesn't think I'm crazy like everyone already thinks so." He sighed and she saw he was troubled by this.  
  
He walked toward the stairs when the ghost shout after him. "Wait, Inu- yasha." He turned around seeing her to come toward him. "Don't be so troubled. Everything will turn out well." He looked away and she saw that her words didn't really help him. "Trust me!" she told him smiling widely and giving a soft kiss on his cheek.  
  
He turned to look at her, but she was already fading away. When she was gone he rubbed his cheek like he wouldn't be happy about the kiss. When he however got to the second floor he couldn't stop from smiling. It really made him feel better.  
  
He walked to Sesshomaru's level hearing Jaken's barking from his floor. So they were in his floor. He narrowed his eyes believing that this guy was one of Sesshomaru's friends. He started up just when he saw his much taller brother come down toward him.  
  
"I'm going to get something to eat" Sesshomaru told his younger brother when walking past him. "You go greet him." Before Inu-yasha could ask anything his brother had gone down already. Who was this guy?  
  
He walked up the stairs still hearing Jaken's barking. At least he knows where to go when the dog told it with it's barking. The dog and this guy were in his 'office'. He saw the door to be partly open when he walked toward it.  
  
He walked in and immediately his eyes widened of surprise. "Koishi!"  
  
***down stairs***  
  
Sesshomaru had all the ingredients that he needed for making nice and tasty breads on the table. Now he was looking for something to drink for Koishi and himself. 'Inu-yasha?' he asked himself and shook his head. He wasn't going to be suddenly the nice-big-brother.  
  
Suddenly he heard something from behind and he turned quickly around. He saw a flying kitchen paper beside the table. The paper landed on the table and then the maple syrup to started to fly. Something opened the bottle.  
  
He walked nearer not bothering to close the fridge where he had been looking for the drinks. When he walked nearer he felt the cold breeze that told who was doing this.  
  
After a moment there started to appear writing on the paper with the maple syrup. He got now closer to see what it was. Now he knew he was real close the ghost cause it got colder. Not in freezing way but in a scary way, but Sesshomaru didn't let that feeling get over him.  
  
After a moment the feeling disappeared and Sesshomaru could tell that the ghost was gone. Then he remembered the paper and looked down. He took it in his hand and saw a sticky writing "Thank you."  
  
He laid the paper down on the table again and a long moment he didn't move, but after a moment his lips curled up into a smile.  
  
***fourth floor***  
  
"What are you doing here?" Inu-yasha asked sitting down on a chair around a table where Koishi was sitting also.  
  
On the moment Koishi wasn't listening cause Jaken was hanging on his pant's leg. He was pulling on his leg but this time the dog had a good hold. "How I hate this" he cursed under his breath but then Inu-yasha grabbed the dog.  
  
"So. What are you doing here?" Inu-yasha asked again leaning his elbow on the table and his cheek on his hands when in his other Jaken was hanging.  
  
Koishi narrowed his eyes to the dog and cursed some more before turning for Inu-yasha. "I had no other place to go" he said simply shrugging his shoulders.  
  
"What happened?" Inu-yasha asked when letting the dog free on the floor. At the same moment Koishi took his legs up on the chair away from the dog. Jaken jumped beside the chair but to it's bad luck he couldn't reach Koishi's legs.  
  
"You know that my parents had thrown me out when I couldn't pass High- school last spring." he was silent for a moment.  
  
Inu-yasha stared at him for a moment. Koishi was as old as he was so why had he almost passed high school before him? "Oh right. I forgot that you didn't need bother your self with the second class in junior high school" he gave a bored look with a smile.  
  
Koishi felt a bit ashamed. He had been good in school until he got into high-school. There he didn't do anything and now he hadn't even passed. "Well. However. Like you know I lived with my sister Kiken this time, but she is moving to Europe to study. I don't have enough money to pay any rental of an apartment so. I don't have any place."  
  
"Any family at all?" Inu-yasha asked leaning closer shaking his head in wonder.  
  
"Did you already forget that I'm from Hokkaido?" Koishi asked. The rest of his large family lived much further than Inu-yasha now. Inu-yasha understood that it was easier for Koishi to come here than to think on moving back to Hokkaido where he lived when he was three years old.  
  
On the same moment Sesshomaru came in with a tray full of all kind of stuff. He placed the tray on the table and then he too sat down. With a short order he got Jaken away from Koishi and then he concentrated on the food on the tray.  
  
Koishi leaned nearer being hungrier than any of them, but Inu-yasha didn't give Sesshomaru the satisfaction in knowing that he was hungry. It was still hard to be so uncaring when your stomach was screaming for food and there were so yummy looking stuff before your nose.  
  
Sesshomaru gave Koishi a cider and a big laminated bread with lots of jam between. "This is for you as well" the oldest of them said giving an orange to Koishi. Koishi took it happily knowing well that Sesshomaru was evil and mean mostly only to his brother.  
  
Inu-yasha looked at Sesshomaru who took a bread for himself as well. He tried not to show his hunger, but to see the two others to eat he had to ask. "Don't tell me you didn't bring anything to me?!" he said looking at his brother with narrowed eyes.  
  
"No" Sesshomaru told him chewing the peace of bread that was in his mouth. He swallowed it and then the brothers stared at each other for a moment. The silence that was going on broke when Sesshomaru turned for his bread again.  
  
Inu-yasha bit his lip looking down. "You really can't make me go down all the way!" he said growling. This was just like his brother. Make him go down from fourth floor to the first floor just to get something to eat.  
  
Sesshomaru glanced at his brother. Wasn't it obvious? Is there anytime when Sesshomaru had helped his brother or done a favour? No!  
  
Inu-yasha glanced at Koishi who just grinned. Koishi wouldn't give his bread to Inu-yasha even if he would give thousand yen.  
  
Slowly Inu-yasha stood up not bothering to look at his brother anymore. He started toward the door just when a hand with a bread came before him.  
  
Sesshomaru took a sip of his beer and didn't bother to look toward Inu- yasha when he offered one of the big breads to his brother. He didn't know why he was being so nice today.  
  
Inu-yasha sniffed on the bread before taking it. He was almost sure that it was poisoned. "Damn it!" Sesshomaru growled. "Take it already!" The older brother still didn't look at the younger one, but Inu-yasha grabbed the bread quickly fearing that Sesshomaru would suddenly change his mind.  
  
Inu-yasha sat by the table again and when he glanced at Koishi he saw his age-mate keep from laughing. He growled and then took a big bite of the bread.  
  
A moment there was a silence again. Inu-yasha wondered on that silence and glanced at Koishi. Koishi was staring at him like waiting something to happen. Then carefully not chewing the bread in his mouth anymore Inu-yasha turned to look at Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru was staring at him hard as well like waiting. Waiting? Carefully Inu-yasha turned for his bread again. He chewed on what he had in his mouth silently.  
  
Sesshomaru and Koishi leaned closer and to their satisfaction Inu-yasha's eyes suddenly widened. The younger brother spit all out from his mouth and the dried his tongue on his sleeve.  
  
Koishi laughed and Sesshomaru leaned back smilingly. "I can't believe you, Sess!" Inu-yasha shout standing up and throwing the bread on the table. "You know that I hate liver!!" Sesshomaru laughed and when Inu-yasha grabbed him from his collar he stopped laughing but not smiling.  
  
"Did you think that I had turned suddenly nice?" the oldest asked almost innocently. "But brother. I thought you knew better." He grinned evilly.  
  
Koishi laughed louder than earlier and that made Inu-yasha jump of anger. Sesshomaru joined Koishi and that made Inu-yasha all the time more angrier. He was like some kind of monkey when jumping angrily.  
  
Kagome looked into the room from the door. He saw Inu-yasha bleeding Koishi to change breads and Sesshomaru to be just about to hit a sticky bread on Inu-yasha's white hair. Kagome smiled sadly.  
  
Inu-yasha had friends and even thought he didn't come along with his brother the best possible way they still cared for each other. Kagome. what did she have? She had this lonely mansion where she had been her whole life and afterlife.  
  
She looked at Inu-yasha who attacked Sesshomaru cause of the sticky bread on his hair and slowly started to fade when hearing only happy laughter from the room.  
  
***next morning***  
  
"Of course he can stay here" Inu-yasha's mother smiled gently to Koishi when they had asked if he could stay. "There is plenty of free room here."  
  
"Thank you, madam" Koishi said bowing. "I will pay rental immediately when I get a job."  
  
"Don't worry about it dear Koishi" she told him. "You'll be free to stay as long as you need to and how polite your are. You are always polite!" She smiled widely and clapped her hands when Koishi only smiled.  
  
"Booth-licker" Inu-yasha muttered when standing beside grinning Koishi. Koishi did hear it but let it be as it may.  
  
Inu-yasha looked at the clock and then his eyes widened. "Hell" he cursed grabbing his bag from and turning toward the door. "I'm gonna be late!" He opened the door and stepped out.  
  
Koishi and Inu-yasha's mother stared after him and they were surprised to see him come back. "Choose any room you want from the fourth floor Koishi as long as it's empty" Inu-yasha shout and then stepped out again. Suddenly he remembered something again and came back. "And don't go to the room in the other end of the corridor!"  
  
This time he really did leave and his mother saw him to run toward the gates in the yard. "Same thing every morning" she sighed and then looked at the clock herself.  
  
Koishi saw how Inu-yasha's mother started to run like a hurricane around the house. She had to hurry to work as well. "Like Inu-yasha would be the only one" he muttered when she run past him again. He sighed.  
  
A/N: I'm happy to hear that people like the relationship between the brothers. I actually like it myself as well and it worked out quite well.  
  
For the ending. I know exactly how this end and I'm starting to get quite good picture of how to get there.  
  
I always hate when stories end. I always want to know what happens next (and I'm not maybe the only one, right?). Even now I can't stop wondering what would happen after the ending of this story. I started to create that part and cause of that I created this attack and made Chaz's and Aliz's part in this more important in the beginning already.  
  
I have an idea for a sequel! That is why I won't bring the real reason behind the attackers into the picture really. Inu-yasha will do something about it in this story, but what is there behind will be the main thing in the sequel. This story is more about the ghost.  
  
Now. If someone is wondering why I brought Koishi back into the picture again. I just need him now cause of these attackers.  
  
In the next chapter Inu-yasha's friends come back so we start to get into the ghost more again. She's the main thing of this anyway. Soon I also will jump in time a bit to get to the Christmas.  
  
Even thought I have made Kouga quite a mean character toward Inu-yasha he's not bad okay. It's just rivalry between these two. I must admit that I hate Kouga and Kikyo in the real story, but I don't want to make them evil. I want to see every character on the same level.  
  
Why am I telling this? I just maybe wanted to. *shrugging her shoulders*  
  
My absolute favourites in Inu-yasha are Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha and Miroku!  
  
See ya! 


	15. Nothing can replace friends

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 15 Nothing can replace friends  
  
The next two weeks had been again fun for Inu-yasha. When Miroku, Sango and Kikyo were there around him he could forget everything. His smile hadn't been wider in a long while. Miroku made sure that no one would be sad and Sango was in that show as well.  
  
One day Kikyo and Inu-yasha had even the chance to go on a date and cause of that Koishi had been teasing him all day. Koishi had gotten a job from the Saloon Bar. "It's better than nothing" Koishi always told Inu-yasha.  
  
Something however did bother Inu-yasha a lot. He hadn't seen Kagome much and when he did her smile wasn't so pure like it used to be. Sometimes he even could hear the sniffing, but Kagome denied it all.  
  
But on this Friday Inu-yasha didn't have much time to think on her when he was at school. He was standing beside Kikyo leaning on the lockers when Kikyo was looking for his things.  
  
"Did you see the look on their eyes on the first class?" Kikyo asked taking one book out from the locker and replacing it with another.  
  
"Who?" Inu-yasha asked waking up from his thoughts when he had been staring on the window on the other side of the corridor.  
  
"Sango and Miroku, silly" Kikyo said with low voice not wanting to draw any curious ears near. All the people in school knew Miroku very well and Sango wasn't news either. All that had something to do with these two together spread out in the school like weeds.  
  
Inu-yasha was silent for a moment staring at the window expressionless. He recalled the first class they had today. Sango and Miroku had been both nervous and glancing at each other. Inu-yasha hadn't paid much of attention to them. Mostly he had been thinking on the ghost or been staring Kikyo. That was cause of two reasons: she looked like the ghost and she was real beauty.  
  
"There is something going on" Kikyo whispered closing her locker. "I'm sure of it." Then she took his hand and they started of. It was a common sight to see them hand in hand. Even the students had gotten more careful not to glare at Inu-yasha when he was around Kikyo. Inu-yasha hadn't told anything to his friends. Not of the glaring or attack. He didn't want them to worry.  
  
They walked toward the next class-room that was on the upper level, but just when they were about to head up Kikyo noticed Kouga. He was crouching beside a door and pressing his ear against it.  
  
"Kouga" Kikyo exclaimed and that made Kouga jump out of his pants. He turned to look around and then noticed Kikyo. He put his finger on his lips to make Kikyo quiet.  
  
Kikyo shut his mouth and with out asking Inu-yasha she dragged him along toward Kouga. Kouga and Inu-yasha exchanged hateful glares, but Kikyo didn't give them more change to do so when he stepped between them.  
  
"What are you doing?" she whispered leaning her hand on her knees.  
  
Kouga gestured her to come closer. Kikyo crouched down and brought her ear near him. "Listen up" he whispered and pointed on the door behind him. Kikyo glanced at him, but after a moment pressed her ear against the door.  
  
The students around them stared at them, but didn't pay more attention to them. Kouga was often found to do strange stuff with Miroku so it wasn't news to see them crouching before a door.  
  
Kikyo's eyes widened and she tried to keep her giggling back. Inu-yasha crouched down wondering what was it about. Kouga smiling pointed the door for him. He came nearer and pressed his ear against the door.  
  
His eyes widened just when a shadow fell on him. All the three of them looked up and saw Kaede there hand folded. The three of them smirked and then slowly stood up keeping their hands behind their backs.  
  
Kaede studied them long before she said anything. "What is there so interesting?" she asked and the three of them bit their lips together. "If you don't want to tell me I'll check it out myself."  
  
The three of them tried to find out something to say but it was too late when Kaede was already turning the handle of the door. Inu-yasha and Kikyo on the headmaster's right looked away having that smirk on their face. Kouga on the left had his eyes closed and he held his mouth shut.  
  
Kaede opened the door and as quickly as she did so her eyes widened. "What in nine hells!" she exclaimed and got the attention of all the people near them.  
  
Kouga leaned on the wall beside the door covering his face with his other hand. Inu-yasha and Kikyo were still looking into different directions not wanting to meet anyone's eyes.  
  
"What is going on here?" Kaede demanded from Miroku and Sango. They were behind the door in a small room that happened to be a closet. They had wrapped their arms around each other and Sango was on Miroku's lap. Their hairs were all shaggy and their embarrassed expressions were impossible to describe.  
  
All the students who saw them started to laugh and point on them but Kaede didn't seem to be overly happy. "Come to my office when you are done" she told them and then turned away leaving the door open.  
  
The laughing continued and Kouga, Kikyo and Inu-yasha were red as well, but they were nothing compared to the two tomatoes in the closet.  
  
***after school***  
  
Inu-yasha walked out from the school yard with Miroku. The perverted guy had a read mark on his cheek that wasn't anything strange but Inu-yasha did wonder.  
  
"I believe she didn't take it well" Inu-yasha said silently smirking when looking at the red mark.  
  
"Huh" Miroku turned to look at his friend like waking up from dreams. "Oh you mean this?!" he pointed on the mark on his cheek and giving his usual cheerful smile. "It's nothing."  
  
Inu-yasha stared hard at him. "You mean that Sango just accidentally slapped you?" he asked in disbelief.  
  
"Well" Miroku scratched the back of his head. "She got embarrassed there you know. What else she could do?" He put his hand into his pockets and continued his light walk forward.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed and looked elsewhere. "So, you are still getting along?" he asked not looking at Miroku at all. Suddenly he noticed the black haired guy to stop. He looked back and he could swear he saw a bit of concern in his eyes.  
  
Miroku looked at Inu-yasha smiling widely and being his carefree self. "That we'll see tomorrow when we meet again" she said happily. Then he came beside Inu-yasha and slapped his back. "There is plenty of girls so don't worry about it."  
  
Inu-yasha looked at him when they walked forward again. Miroku's smile was so convincing, but Inu-yasha couldn't believe it. When time had passed again and they were near a park full of kids Inu-yasha glanced at his friend.  
  
Miroku's cheerful smile and careless eyes now showed worry that Inu-yasha knew to be there. Sango had been humiliated in front of all the students and the headmaster it self. They had been called to Kaede's office and there they had been almost the rest of the day. On top of that the whole school knew and Miroku started acting like Sango was dozenware. That was the moment when Sango had slapped Miroku and had been shouting of anger.  
  
They stopped before the park cause this was the place where their ways parted. "Miroku" Inu-yasha said silently to get the other guy's attention. "Would you like to come to my place?" he asked and he could see that Miroku smiled again now not hiding his worry. "My mom is visiting her sister and dad's going to be of late so only problem would be Jaken and Sesshomaru."  
  
Both of them smiled and finally Miroku sighed. He looked at the kids in the park and then looked down. "I would like to see your home" he said finally looking up at Inu-yasha. "I have always wondered how the haunted house looked from inside."  
  
Inu-yasha smiled and hit his hand on Miroku's back. "Let's go" he exclaimed. This was the first time he had asked one of his friends to come to the house. He had feared to ask cause they maybe wouldn't come cause of the stories.  
  
Well. Now he was happy. He could maybe cheer up Miroku and most importantly get to know him better.  
  
***in the kitchen***  
  
Miroku was sitting by a table in the kitchen when Inu-yasha was looking stuff from the fridge. They both were hungry as well a dog who was growling to Miroku now and then. Miroku had anyway made clear who was the boss by kicking the dog back to it's corner when they came in.  
  
It didn't take long, however, for Jaken to try again and so he came at Miroku again now hanging on his pant-leg. Miroku sighed and tried to pull the dog free. "What is with this dog?" he asked Inu-yasha who brought two bowls on the table.  
  
"My wicked brother has raised him" the white haired guy told Miroku. "That's with him. You lie ramen?"  
  
Miroku got the dog free and now held poor-Jaken up in the air. "Yeah! I do eat ramen" he answered and when the dog tried to struggle he only shook his hand.  
  
On the same moment when Inu-yasha started to warm up ramen for them the main door opened. Miroku put Jaken down and the dog run to the door. Usually you would think that the dog would be barking but this time it wasn't.  
  
In came a white haired guy like Inu-yasha. First Miroku thought that this might be one of Inu-yasha's parents, but he changed his mind when seeing his too young face.  
  
Sesshomaru wrapped up his long hair into a pony-tail when he walked into the kitchen leaving his coat and shoes before the door. "Care to make some for me, brother?" he asked when walking to the fridge.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed and took some more raw ramen and put it to boil. Well, usually Inu-yasha wouldn't do it but why to make two times the ramen when you could get trough it with one time.  
  
Sesshomaru took a bottle of juice and didn't bother to take a cup when he took a sip. "Have Koishi found a job?" he asked from Inu-yasha paying no attention to Miroku when sitting down by the table.  
  
"Yes" Inu-yasha answered being back toward Sesshomaru. "He got a job from Saloon Bar and I bet he's sleeping now." Sesshomaru had been two days in Tokyo for some reasons Inu-yasha didn't care to know so that is why the older brother knew nothing of Koishi's job.  
  
"Poor man" Sesshomaru sighed like he would care, but soon he hid his wicked smile behind the bottle when he took another sip.  
  
Inu-yasha shook his head and then took the two bowls he had brought to the table earlier and went back to the ramen. "Serve you self, Sess" he told his brother and filled the two bowls with ramen. When he returned to the table he took some spices with him. Then he went to the fridge to get something to drink for him and Miroku.  
  
"What would you like to drink?" Inu-yasha asked and looked at Miroku. He maybe shouldn't have cause the black haired guy had a perverted grin on his face. Inu-yasha felt disgusted. "So water it will be" he muttered and took two cups and filled them with water.  
  
Sesshomaru was filling his own bowl with ramen not noticing the grin. He returned to the table and first the tree of them were silent. This time also Jaken was silent cause Sesshomaru had ordered it to wait outside the kitchen.  
  
"Inu" Sesshomaru said getting his brother's attention. "Who might he be?" Sesshomaru pointed on Miroku not caring to look at him.  
  
"He's Miroku from school" Inu-yasha to Sesshomaru and then he filled his mouth with ramen.  
  
Sesshomaru now turned to look at Miroku. He stared for a moment at him silently and then he offered his hand for a shake. "My name's Sesshomaru and I'm brother to this loser" he smiled wickedly.  
  
Miroku almost took the hand, but then saw Inu-yasha growling. The actual reason why he didn't take Sesshomaru's hand wasn't the growling, but the fact that Inu-yasha was pulling on Sesshomaru's long hair on the hot stove.  
  
After seconds all Miroku could see of the brothers was a cloud of dust. He blinked his eyes many times when the two were fighting. After a moment he shrugged his shoulders and ate his ramen.  
  
***fourth floor***  
  
Inu-yasha was complaining all the way when he got up to his floor with Miroku. Miroku was walking behind him keeping his hands behind his back and looking elsewhere.  
  
When Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha had finally broke up the fight Miroku had eaten all ramen already. They had to do it over again and this time Sesshomaru had made sure that Miroku staid out from the kitchen like Jaken. Inu-yasha hadn't disagreed when he saw Miroku to sit beside Jaken like a dog.  
  
They finally got into Inu-yasha's 'office' on the fourth floor. Inu-yasha went straight to his table not bothering to say anything about the mess that dwelled there. Miroku looked around. Most of the furniture in the room and in the whole house were old, but Inu-yasha had told earlier that the house hadn't been empty when they moved in.  
  
Suddenly Miroku felt strange and he turned for Inu-yasha. He saw the other guy to smile. He wondered on that but didn't dare to say anything. Suddenly his eyes widened when he slightly saw a girl wrapping her arms around Inu- yasha. He shook his head and the girl was gone.  
  
"I must go wake up Koishi so you can wait here" Inu-yasha told Miroku when turning to look at him. He wondered why the other one looked so white, but left the room anyway.  
  
Miroku only sat down beside the wall when Inu-yasha left the room. What had he seen?  
  
Outside the room Inu-yasha smiled even wider when Kagome appeared again. She had come to greet him like always. "Koishi is still sleeping" she told him and he nodded.  
  
"You wanna bring water?" Inu-yasha asked the ghost and she brightened up a lot. "Just remember that it have to be cold." He told her and then she disappeared.  
  
When Inu-yasha walked into a room at the other side of the corridor he made sure he didn't close the door. Then he stopped before the room where Koishi lived for now. He leaned on the wall waiting for Kagome.  
  
Soon the girl was there with a bowl of water. It was good that the girl could hold on things. That made everything more funnier. "If you want you can pour it on him, but make sure you give the bowl to me in time" he told her and she nodded excitedly.  
  
Inu-yasha opened the door to Koishi's room. The room was a mess and on the moment dark cause all the windows were closed by curtains. The two of them walked toward Koishi's bed that was one of those old furniture in the house. It was a big bed, but a short one so Koishi was sleeping diagonally.  
  
When they were beside the bed Kagome poured the water down. Koishi shout of surprise and didn't see when the bowl flew into Inu-yasha's hands. Kagome herself hid behind Inu-yasha's back.  
  
"Wake up, sleepy-head" Inu-yasha exclaimed to Koishi who's black hair was wholly wet.  
  
Koishi looked at his friend with narrowed eyes in a matter of moments he had pulled the white haired guy into the bed and now he was pushing the bowl on his head.  
  
Kagome laughed at the side of the scene when Inu-yasha tried to fight back on Koishi who was determined to get the bowl on Inu-yasha's head.  
  
A/N: It's the fifteenth chapter! I'm very happy about it! I hope you like the chapter cause I had fun when writing it. I wanted to show some good stuff in Inu-yasha's life. ^_^  
  
I was reading my old reviews and someone had asked in the very beginning that is Kagome younger than Inu-yasha. Yes she is. She was 16 when she died. I think that two years between them is good.  
  
Another thing I hope is that the characters won't be too OOC. If they are warn me! If it's on purpose I'll tell you, but I try to keep them as well as I can like they are in reality. In some ways I have to make them a bit OOC.  
  
Anyway! I hope you like this chapter but I won't promise any new chapters soon. I have couple of school works to be done.  
  
See ya! 


	16. Snowflakes

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 16 Snowflakes  
  
***Inu-yasha's diary (Inu: Are you reading my diary again?! *growl* Dreamer: No, not at all. *hiding the diary behind her back*)***  
  
Yesterday with Miroku was something I don't really want to talk about. All he could talk about was girls and I noticed that he avoided to talk about Sango. Well, when the darkness came he started to get more talkative than ever. He was like he would be drunk and telling all his life time.  
  
He maybe even did cause I think there haven't been anything else than girls in his mind since he born. He had been telling about his first crush in kindergarten and when he was talking about one there was suddenly fifteen.  
  
The junior-high was worse, but worst was this school and this little village. He had told me he's from a bigger city, but not from Tokyo. Well, the name of the city didn't find any place in my mind, so I forgot it. I'm bad with geography anyway.  
  
At the time of 11 p.m. he started to talk about Sango. He had wholly forgotten that I was there. He only talked about he. First lots of perverted thing but when he got further his talking turned into more like sweet talking and he started to sound like his whole life had ended.  
  
I will never learn to understand him! And actually sometimes I wish I wouldn't learn.  
  
Other thing. You can't believe what a cup of coffee can do to a guy. You would think it would wake up him wholly, but when Miroku finally at about 1 a.m. drunk up his coffee he fell asleep like a baby.  
  
The good side in this was that I finally had the chance to get sleep.  
  
When I woke up on next the morning (today in other words) I had to wonder a long moment before I remembered why Miroku was there sleeping beside my bed and under MY cover.  
  
Miroku didn't talk me in during many moment on that morning cause I had to beat him up for stealing my cover. It wasn't a problem. It was easier to wash your face and teeth when he wasn't talking there about girls.  
  
Today Sess had woken up at the same time and when we got down he was already making breakfast. I was lucky enough that he was in kinda good mood when he made breakfast to me as well.  
  
Miroku wasn't so lucky thought. When he showed up his face in the kitchen Sess had stopped making the breakfast and with slightly irritable face he pushed Miroku out from the room. Miroku had been standing there looking confused when Jaken sat 'nicely' beside him (as if you could say nicely about that dog).  
  
When I and Sess digged in to our breakfasts I heard panting from the doorway to the kitchen. I didn't think it was anything strange before I saw I saw Sess to drop his spoon and look away from the door.  
  
I turned to look and saw beside panting Jaken Miroku sitting like a dog lifting one hand begging for food. When seeing that sight and Miroku's big puppy eyes neither I could eat anymore.  
  
There was something no one shouldn't have missed. When all tired Kouga finally came home from his night work he almost fell on his nose of surprisment and shock when he saw Miroku before the kitchen.  
  
Later he told me that he could swear that he had seen Miroku with a swinging tail. Well, I wouldn't be very surprised when this considered this specific guy.  
  
Well, with a miracle we finally got on the way to the school. Nothing special actually happened before we saw to girls on the way. These girls were in our school on the second grade.  
  
When we had been walking quite a bit. All the way to the school wasn't the shortest but here didn't go any bushes so we had to walk. That was why I had to leave home 8a.m to get to school 9 a.m.  
  
However on that moment we were quite near the school. We had to still cross some streets or run past a field like we usually did, but the farmer didn't like of it and he shoot beans with a rifle at us.  
  
On the way, anyway, I suddenly noticed how Miroku had disappeared from my side. I hadn't yet spotted the girls before me. My way of walking was to stare at my toes. Maybe that is why I never notice if someone who I know is walking by me.  
  
I started to look around for any sings of him. Soon, however, I did notice that little pigtail of his from behind a bush at the verge of the road. There is a lot of bushes at that spot. I got confused and wondered was he hiding from something, but when I saw his to come into my sight at the other side of the bush his grin was everything else but not afraid.  
  
To my disgust his eyes were gleaming like always when he saw a good pray. And with pray I mean girls. I started to look around and then I spotted the two girls I had seen ones or twice at our school.  
  
Miroku leaped like a cat behind the bushes toward the girls but to my surprise he continued before them. I would have thought that he couldn't wait any longer but would attack on the first chance but he seemed to want to go before them.  
  
On that moment I decided that I should hurry on me, but another part of me told me to take a longer way and be like I didn't know this sneaker. Well, maybe I'm stupid but I did go and hurried myself toward the girls.  
  
I wasn't in time thought to warn them, that was the idea when I hurried further. Before I could blink Miroku was between the two girls and me and then he went to them and.  
  
I'll leave the rest be as it may, but I can tell you that I have heard this calling name too often. "Miroku-you-hentai!"  
  
That's him! What can you do?  
  
***a later part in his diary (Inu: Arrgh! I'm going to kill you! Dreamer: *sweatdrop*)***  
  
On the lunch time I had a lot of fun. Even thought my worry about Kagome who seemed to give me those smiles that had lost their shine was still looming in my mind. I had learned one thing in my life at least and that is that even the worry shouldn't make your life a hell.  
  
Just wondering. How often do I actually worry. Sess have told me enough not to worry, but somehow this ghost, Kagome, makes me really worried.  
  
Oh, where is my mind and pen going again! I was about to write of my lunch and how fun I had.  
  
Yes, fun. Where is Kagome anyway?  
  
Arrgh! Why I have to write all my thoughts here!!!  
  
Yes, I had fun, real fun. And I even learned to respect Kouga. There are those times when Kouga was around our groups and then he was okay. Today we had to do even together some tasks and our groups worked well. We had one girl with us that was active and willing to job with us.  
  
I don't know, but I had this funny feeling that this small looking blonde girl had a crush on Kouga. Well, I wouldn't mind, but he didn't seem to be very clear about this fact.  
  
On the lunch the fun started when we planned on a party. We had thought about spending time together when our school ended. Well, I know it's a bit too early, but it was fun to plan it. It's still a problem that we don't know were to have the party.  
  
Oh well, that was one of the minor problems in the planning, but the rest of it I don't want to remember in my future so I won't write it.  
  
I also get more better along with Chaz after the attacking scene. Well, in class we are teacher and student but sometimes we end up to sit on a bench in the corridor and talk our minds out. I had even slightly mentioned about me seeing a ghost, but it was no news to him.  
  
I'm just not sure do he believe me or not in this, but at least he isn't shouting at me that I'm crazy. I also noticed that he was like two personalities. He could be cold and feelingles, but then there was that side of him that told that he was still young from mind.  
  
Well, I wouldn't wonder why he had that cold part of himself. His brother had been murdered. A young kid in other hand. Someone who supposedly should have lived yet many years.  
  
On that day I was surprised when I saw Aliz to walk in the school-doors. What surprised me even more was that you could see that she was seemingly drunk. Her eyes were sleepy-way like those who were drunk had, but her walking didn't tell anything about it.  
  
She walked her back straight and even thought she limped cause of her still sour foot. With out the foot you could say that she walked perfectly and she had that warrior like attitude, but.  
  
Oh well.  
  
I knew she came to see her brother, but I had been wondering why she hadn't done anything to her leg. For example going to doctor. I'm sure that she have taken care of it herself.  
  
Well, I'm happy that my bruises and cuts are gone. At least no one of my friends will make hard questions on me. Yes, I haven't told them yet. I don't want people to be worried about me and I don't know how they would react anyway.  
  
I just don't want any one to worry about me.. Like I worry about Kagome.  
  
***back to reality and to the mansion***  
  
Inu-yasha was sitting by his table and was doing some math lessons when he felt a gold breeze. Knowing well what it was he just continued to push the buttons on his calculator and muttered the numbers under his breath.  
  
Kagome came and looked over his shoulder. When she noticed what he was doing she sighed. She knew well that his school came first s she turned to leave.  
  
"HA!"  
  
Kagome turned to look at Inu-yasha who proudly lifted up his book proud about his work. Then he put the book down and stretched his back. "Finally done!" he exclaimed and turned for Kagome smilingly.  
  
Kagome looked at him wondering, but when he closed his book she smiled. That confirmed her that he wouldn't do school works anymore.  
  
Inu-yasha smiled and was happy to see her smiled, but there was something about her smile that made his worry come back.  
  
She came to him and laid down on the table. "What are we going to do now?" she asked looking up at him.  
  
He looked down at her still keeping that smile on his face. He wouldn't care if people wouldn't believe him, but the best times of his life was here with her.  
  
He looked at her and then at her lips that were pale and transparent. He had the need to taste them anyway. To feel her cold lips against his.  
  
He shook his head. What was he thinking. This was a ghost and anyhow he was dating with Kikyo.  
  
He stood up and turned to look to any other direction than her. She stared at him startled. Then her gaze wandered to the window.  
  
Inu-yasha heard her to gasp and turned around. He followed her gaze to the window and there he saw white tiny snowflakes fall from the sky. His eyes widened and suddenly he felt cool hands around his neck.  
  
He looked down at Kagome who was hanging on him "Lets go out" she said. "I want to go and see them! I want to be there and dance!"  
  
He hadn't seen her so happy and exited in a long while. He smiled and nodded. He suddenly blushed when the ghost kissed him, but this time lightly on his lips. She got out of the room but he stood there stunned.  
  
He brought his fingers on his lips and a small part of him leaped of happiness. He sighed and smiled.  
  
Later they were out at the garden. Inu-yasha had his jacket on him and high boots. He stared at Kagome who tried to catch the snowflakes on his tongue. He had time to keep from laughing when all the snow flakes got trough her.  
  
"Shouldn't you let them touch you" he asked her folding his arms around him to cover his fingers with his arms. The weather was below zero (Celsius). "Then you would maybe actually catch them."  
  
Kagome stopped and turned to look at him. "Oh no, Inu-yasha" she told him floating in the air and pointing her finger. "Then I would destroy these beauties. I don't want that."  
  
He just smiled and was surprised when she pulled him with her into a dance. He hesitated first fearing that his wicked brother who was almost always at home would see him. However when seeing Kagome so happy he just had to join her in the dance. In a dance under the snowflakes.  
  
***inside***  
  
Sesshomaru took his cup when sitting beside the window. He looked down to the garden seeing his brother dancing happily. He saw him laugh and smile that made him sigh deeply.  
  
Suddenly the door of the room opened. "I should have guessed!" Koishi exclaimed when he came in. He spotted the coffee-maker on Sesshomaru's table. "And I was looking for this all over the house." He had a cub with him and so he poured some of hot coffee that Sesshomaru had made in his cup.  
  
Sesshomaru just ignored him. If he would have been in his usual mood he would have jumped up and stopped him from pouring the coffee or sent Jaken after him or anything else mean and wicked.  
  
Koishi glanced up at him wondering why hadn't he come at him. Koishi had known Sesshomaru as long as he had known Inu-yasha. He even remembered the time when he was a kid. He and Inu-yasha had always test on some wicked traps Kiken and Sesshomaru had built. Ones they had even burned Koishi's hair and he hadn't dared to leave his home before his hair started to grow back.  
  
Yes. Their families had known a longer time, but since Koishi's father had blamed Inu-yasha's father of stealing their lawn-mower their parents hadn't talked. Well, it didn't stop the children to play and have fun together.  
  
Inu-yasha and Koishi running around the house when Kiken was having scissors in one hand and shampoo in other when Sesshomaru had a knife in other and a lightener in other hand while running after the poor younger kids.  
  
Koishi walked up to Sesshomaru and followed his gaze out from the window to the yard. His eyes widened when he saw Inu-yasha there dancing alone under the snowflakes. "What's with him?" he asked from Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru who well knew that this ghost was with his little brother sighed deep. "He's changing" he answered and ended the conservation with sipping on his coffee.  
  
A/N: One new chapter done! I feel so great. I had been walking with my dog and I planned on this chapter. I finally got the snow here.  
  
In the next chapter Shippo shows up and after it I have to kinda rush to the last day of school and the friends party.  
  
I have a question for you. Do you want their party to be at Inu-yasha's place or someone else's or in Saloon bar? It will still take maybe two or three chapters before I get there so there is time to answer this.  
  
Hmm. Was there more. Oh yeah. Inu-yasha might now start to go a bit out of character, but it's cause he's starting to change a bit. Not much! Only enough that he's gentle and sweet around the ghost. If I change him too much I'll ruin my plans of the sequel.  
  
About Sesshomaru. I know he's OOC in this, but umm. I didn't want a brother to Inu-yasha that tries to kill him every other minute.  
  
He also have a bigger part in this story. Mostly maybe cause he's my absolute favourite character in the real manga/anime (seen both) but the other reason is cause he lives in the same house with Inu-yasha from the beginning so the part fits for him.  
  
For what is that part I won't tell you. Otherwise I'll tell you the ending of this. However. When I get past Christmas in this story we start to get down into freeing the ghost.  
  
See ya! 


	17. Flashbacks

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 17 Flashbacks  
  
Inu-yasha and his friends were sitting in a fast food shop in a gas station. It was actually the only fast food place in the whole village so it was always full of people. Especially students. There was two restaurants and three bars in the village, but that was actually all the food places.  
  
The gang was sitting by a table chatting. Kouga was queuing for their food. They had decided by arm-wrestling would Inu-yasha or Kouga go and get the food. They were the most capable of carrying it.  
  
Inu-yasha however had won and so Kouga had to go and order.  
  
Miroku sat on the other side of the table from Sango. She was still angry to him for all embarrassment he had caused. Miroku felt like a tiny bug when he was sitting there under Sango's angry gazes. Oh, how he wished he could go and hide under the ground.  
  
Kikyo was sitting on the same side with Sango but as near as she could to Inu-yasha who was sitting at the end of the table. On the moment Inu-yasha was joining the scene when Kouga has to remain calm even thought all the people were pushing and kicking him in the line of customers.  
  
"Inu-yasha" Sango said getting his attention. "Ummm. Are you still taking with ghosts?" She leaned closer forgetting her anger for a moment when looking at Inu-yasha worriedly. She hadn't asked it earlier cause Kouga was there and the one in the line would have made a big scene of this.  
  
"What?" Inu-yasha exclaimed first but then calmed. "Hey, don't worry about it" he said avoiding lying. Yes, he was still seeing a ghost, but he also had to hide that fact.  
  
"So. You are okay now?" Kikyo asked carefully eyeing at him.  
  
Inu-yasha folded his arms lazily and exclaimed "Yeah! I got over it." 'Over the fact that you don't believe me' he had to add in his mind. He didn't want to lie to his friends and this way he didn't He just hid the truth. It wasn't a bad thing, right? Not at least in this situation.  
  
He glanced at Miroku and was surprised by his studying face. Miroku was staring at him studying him. He had seen something strange just two days back and he couldn't forget it.  
  
They both stared at each other silently and expressionless. Inu-yasha had no idea what was Miroku's problem beside the fact that Sango was angry to him. Miroku in other hand wanted to know what he had just seen back in the estate and did Inu-yasha know something of it?  
  
Suddenly someone sat on the other end of the table. Everyone turned to look at this guy with black hair. It wasn't Kouga! The girls stared hard at the guy when Inu-yasha rolled his eyes let his head lean on his palm.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Inu-yasha asked the guy who had a tray with a big portion of fries and a beef.  
  
"Well, you had nothing in your fridge and I couldn't sleep anymore" the guy answered grinning.  
  
The girls were confused. They looked from Inu-yasha to this guy when Kouga came with one tray in both hand and one on his head. He was happy that he had been practising with a book back in earlier years.  
  
He put the trays down before he noticed this new guy. When he put them down and sat beside Miroku he noticed two hand too much on the table. He glance at the guy in the other end from Inu-yasha.  
  
"What in nine hells" he exclaimed looking at the guy.  
  
Inu-yasha straightened his back and leaned on the backrest. "Guys" he exclaimed getting their attention. "This is Koishi. My friend from New York. Koishi, these are my friends from the school."  
  
Kouga had to give Inu-yasha a quick glance cause it was the first time neither one had called the other friend.  
  
"So you are this guy he went to wake two days back" Miroku exclaimed pointing rudely at Koishi. "How didn't I see you?"  
  
Koishi was long silent. "Maybe cause on the evening you were shocked by something and on the next morning you were too busy to act like a dog" Koishi grinned and then took some fries into his mouth.  
  
Miroku's eyes widened and finger fell when hearing that. The three who knew nothing of this dog thing turned to look at him wondering.  
  
Inu-yasha leaned back toward the table. "He had to act like a dog to get food from my brother" he said and grinned evilly to Miroku who wished that he could have gone and hide under the floor or something.  
  
"Anyway" Koishi sighed now getting everyone's attention. "I know his name is Miroku. What about the rest of you?" he said tugging a bit of the beef into his mouth.  
  
"I'm Sango and she's Kikyo" introduced her and her friend then he nodded toward Kouga. "He's Kouga."  
  
Koishi nodded to all of them. There was a silence for a moment, but the silence was broke when ten hungry hands started to dig for their own food from the trays Kouga had brought.  
  
When all of them had their food and the basic chatting started Koishi only sighed. He glanced ones at Inu-yasha who was listening carefully on Kikyo who was telling something. Koishi wasn't so interested what they were talking about, but more so he was interested on Inu-yasha's behaviour.  
  
Back in Tokyo he was known as someone who got into fights everyday and those who had been in a fight with him were his 'closest' friends. At least supposedly. He had even couple of time taken something from a shop just show people that he dared to do that.  
  
This group or this life in this village was really changing the Inu-yasha Koishi used to know. Not that he would be sad about it. He knew Inu-yasha very well and he knew how he was when he dropped his mask, but here.. He didn't even keep half of his usual mask up.  
  
Suddenly almost everyone in the place stopped talking when a gloomy looking guy. or man walked into the fast-food shop. When he had carefully looked around the people continued again.  
  
Sango leaned over the table being careful not to make her hair fall into her coke. Miroku leaned as well and she whispered something into his ear Kouga glanced at them but then Miroku passed what he heard to him as well. Then it felt into silence in the table. Nothing was said to Inu-yasha, Kikyo or Koishi.  
  
Well. The reason might have been that Miroku, Kouga and Sango had lived all their lives in this village. They had known each other very many years so they had something in common even thought in the beginning Kouga hadn't been a friend with the two of them.  
  
Inu-yasha and Koishi were from Tokyo and they hadn't been here long so they couldn't even guess what it was about. Kikyo had come here from an even smaller village three years ago. Just before high-school.  
  
However no one dared to ask what was going on. Then Sango opened her mouth again starting those basic talks. Koishi glared at the gloomy man in the line. He had a bad feeling. When moments went by and the gloomy man had what he wanted he walked very near their table.  
  
Koishi suddenly noticed how Inu-yasha shook slightly and then lifted his hand to his neck, just when the man was behind him. Koishi followed the man with his gaze. He had a very bad feeling about this.  
  
Inu-yasha had felt strange when the gloomy man walked by. Suddenly he got a flash back from the graveyard. He saw the gun. He heard Aliz's scream of pain. The darkness. The fear. The despair!  
  
Inu-yasha suddenly stood up. The others turned to look at him quickly surprised. "I need to go out" was all the white-haired boy said when going quickly out from the building.  
  
Koishi stood up now getting everyone's attention as well. "Well. I must get to work" he said like nothing had happened with Inu-yasha. "It was fun to meet you, guys. Maybe we see another time again. " He smiled to then he left from the building from a smaller door thought that was also used by the public.  
  
There was a silence for a moment and then Kikyo looked up. "I'll go talk to him" she stood up but then Miroku stood up as well.  
  
"Please" he said. "Let me talk to him. I have something to ask anyway." The others stared silently at the usually so cheerful pervert, but nodded their agreement. Kikyo sat down and Miroku went outside to look for Inu-yasha.  
  
Outside the air was freezing and you could see snow there and there, but there wasn't yet so much of it. The sky had no clouds that was the main reason for the cold weather.  
  
Inu-yasha was sitting on a bench just outside the building. He held his head in his hands when Miroku walked toward him. The black-haired boy sat down beside Inu-yasha silently. Neither one said anything or moved. They were silent for a long uncomfortable moment.  
  
Inu-yasha had this big need to tell Miroku what had happened. From all of these guys, expect Koishi, Miroku was the one he trusted most. The guy that he had met on the first day in the school. The guy who had run right at him and later introduced the school.  
  
After a moment Inu-yasha leaned back and glanced quickly at Miroku. He had never seen Miroku-the-hentai so serious. Sad, yes. He had seen the guy sad, but serious. No!  
  
"Inu-yasha" Miroku said finally braking the silence. "Back in your house. I saw." He fell silent but he had no idea that Inu-yasha hadn't been listening.  
  
"There is something odd going on here" Inu-yasha said. Miroku was surprised. Hadn't he been listening? Yes, he hadn't. "When you and the girls were away from school I had been a fight."  
  
Miroku looked at him. Unlike Inu-yasha, he had been listening. "In a fight? With whom?" he asked wanting to know wanting to help when Inu-yasha seemed to be a bit down by it.  
  
"That's the problem" Inu-yasha said sighing. "I have no idea." He glanced at Miroku and then he looked far, far away before him. "I was crossing the graveyard cause I had to hurry home. Well. It's scary okay and don't laugh at me!" he turned to look at Miroku dangerously, but Miroku remained interested in a friendly and worried way.  
  
Inu-yasha looked again far away. He had found a great point to look at in the distant. There was an observatory high up on a hill. Why it was low on a hill he didn't know. Usually those buildings were high up on mountains right? Well. Anyhow. Inu-yasha was staring at an observatory.  
  
"There at the graveyard some people I couldn't recognise - or I don't even know how they looked like - attacked me. There was seven or was it six of them and I was soon on ground. One guy came to help me and then started a painful fight. There was blood and then. there was a gun."  
  
He stopped here and saw how Miroku was staring him wide eyed. "Why hadn't you told us?" Miroku asked a bit disappointed that Inu-yasha hadn't trusted him enough earlier.  
  
Inu-yasha looked down. "Cause I was told to not put my nose into this."  
  
Miroku eyed him for a moment. Then he put his hand on Inu-yasha's shoulder. "What about if I come over to you and we talk this trough?" he asked kinda telling that Inu-yasha didn't need to talk about it in a public place.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed and nodded.  
  
***the mansion***  
  
Miroku was laying on his back on Inu-yasha's bed reading some kind of magazine of cars. Not a magazine for his liking, thought. "You planning to buy a car?" he asked lifting his legs and balancing the paper there. It wasn't actually simple so he took time when doing this.  
  
Inu-yasha who had been in a shower was looking for a shirt on the moment. Everything else he had found but shirt. His room wasn't a mess anymore, but cause his mom had been placing everything in the room he had no idea were to look for a shirt. "Well" he said when finally finding a white simple T- shirt. "Maybe when I get money and a job."  
  
Miroku turned on his side on the bed and let the magazine fall on the floor. "You know" he said getting that cheerful smile on his face again. "I had a car until I drove at the school's front door. My parents got really mad, believe me, and I was almost kicked out from the school." He laughed to himself and then sat up on the bed looking for something interesting.  
  
Inu-yasha walked toward him and sat beside him on the bed. He followed his friend's gaze from his bed-table to the walls where were posters all kind of stuff he could find to hide the wall. He didn't like of the rosy walls at all. From those posters Miroku's gaze went to a table and from there to some boxes.  
  
Nothing for his liking! Inu-yasha was certain of it. Thought Miroku had been there two days ago he was so much talking about the girls in his life that he hadn't actually looked around. Inu-yasha didn't have any kind of girl-posters on the walls or dirty magazines under his bed.  
  
"So, haven't you told anyone of this attack? Does anyone know?" Miroku finally asked getting bored when there was, like said, no girl-posters.  
  
"Well. You are the first one I actually tell after my brother" Inu-yasha said sighing. "I don't want to tell to Koishi cause I know he's a guy who tries to find these people and kill them. In the end he's too much like his evil and wicked sister."  
  
"Also Chaz, the math teacher, and his sister knows."  
  
"What?!" Miroku exclaimed of surprise. "That should mean that the whole school knows!"  
  
Inu-yasha shook his head on Miroku's every word. "No they don't. Chaz has reasons to be quiet and actually he's the one to thank for my life. If he wouldn't have asked his sister to follow me that night I would be now dead and dance with the gho." He closed his mouth quickly. He looked away and a uncomfortable silence fell on them.  
  
Miroku looked at his back now letting again his cheerfulness disappear. Suddenly both of them looked up when they heard a strange voice from the window. They looked at the window in the room - or rather many windows cause the whole wall was full of windows. Someone was singing a happy song. Then they saw something orange from behind the windows. Then there came a bushy tail.  
  
The guys stared at the window Miroku coming so close Inu-yasha that he had his head almost laying on Inu-yasha's shoulder. The singing continued and suddenly a tiny face popped into their sights. Words faded from the song but the little creature was humming.  
  
The little creature took a tiny tool and then glide up toward the lock of the window. The boys in the room heard a sharp 'click' and then slowly the window started to open. The little creature got in just when Inu-yasha heard a ghost like voice. He swallowed hard.  
  
Kagome flew into the room a very wide smile on her face. "Shippo" she exclaimed and took the little creature into his arms. The little creature didn't seem to resist.  
  
Inu-yasha looked carefully at the suddenly heavy head on his shoulder. Miroku had wide eyes and if he wouldn't have his head on Inu-yasha's shoulder also his jaw would have dropped. Inu-yasha swallowed hard again.  
  
"Hello again, Ghosty" the little tailed creature said happily when Kagome started to stroke on his tail. On that moment his eyes stuck on Inu-yasha and Miroku on the bed.  
  
The little creature and Inu-yasha stared at each other long. Very long. But Miroku.  
  
He stared at the floating creature who's name apparently was Shippo. He had heard the name being shouted by a girl, but what kind of girl? All he could see was the little creature to float in the air. Actually he couldn't forget the chill he felt when he heard the shout.  
  
"Who are they?" the little creature that didn't look more than five years old asked from the ghost who was hugging him tightly.  
  
Kagome looked up smiling expecting to see only Inu-yasha on the bed, but when he saw Miroku as well she stiffened. What had she done?  
  
Miroku blinked many times, but when Shippo jumped down from the air he blinked even more. What was going on? Suddenly he got a flashback when he saw this faint ghost-like girl hug on Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha noticed Miroku to shake his head and then he decided he tried to make everything look like nothing strange had happened. He stood up and stared at the small kid who was standing arms folded in the middle of the room. "Who are you and what are you doing in my home?" he asked.  
  
He still saw Kagome, but didn't pay more attention to her to hide the truth. Maybe Miroku would buy this and think that he was feeling sick or something.  
  
"What do you mean by that?!" Shippo exclaimed running on Inu-yasha's table to get higher up. "I have lived here every winter during these last fifteen years!" He snorted angrily, but it didn't much scare Inu-yasha who was so much bigger.  
  
"Well" Inu-yasha was silent for a moment wondering what he could say. "Not anymore, brat!" It was all he found out. Not maybe the best possible but then he snorted as well and folded his arms.  
  
Everyone had forgotten poor lost Miroku who was sitting on the bed shocked. He didn't hear Shippo's and Inu-yasha's fight. He just had this funny feeling that maybe, just maybe, Inu-yasha never was crazy.  
  
He lifted his gaze to the two fighting and then slightly narrowed his eyes being determined. He stood up silently and started for the door. Neither one of the fighters saw him to leave the room.  
  
Miroku looked carefully around. The walls were dark and all and unlike Inu- yasha's bedroom the corridor was dark and kinda sinister especially when Miroku knew that there was something strange going on in here.  
  
He looked around at the five doors in the corridor. Behind one of them was now Inu-yasha with that Shippo kid. He also knew that the door before him went to Inu-yasha's 'office' and from there you could get into Koishi's room.  
  
Suddenly he heard it. He heard the same voice that so many before him had claimed to hear. He heard sniffing. Slowly he turned to look toward the door at the far end of the corridor.  
  
Before he realised what he was doing he was already opening the door. He felt a strange chill go trough his spine when the door jarred protesting when he opened it.  
  
He put his head into the room. The room was clean (Inu-yasha had made it like home for the ghost). There was many big pictures on the wall and many old and beautiful furniture. The sniffing had stopped a moment ago, but his thoughts were somewhere else.  
  
He looked around the room until he suddenly met a pair of eyes. He gulped when sad eyes stared straight into his. Slowly he started to see a form of a young girl.  
  
He gasped when he saw the ghost sitting on a chair and staring him straight into eye.  
  
A/N: Cliff-hanger, cliff-hanger! Well, I like to do cliff-hangers just to tease you! ^_^ Just kidding!  
  
Yes I like to do cliff-hangers, but not to tease you. I just like to stop in stupid places. However I believe I'll get a next chapter soon enough up too. I would have gotten this up already yesterday, but I had forgotten that one of my friends was coming to visit so I couldn't write the chapter to end.  
  
I also noticed that this is one of my longest chapters! And also it was the seventeenth chapter so now I have done as many chapters as I have years *grin* Alright I'm eighteen at the end of the year, but that's not the point.  
  
I still want to hear your opinions about the party place. About skating. It's a great idea! If I can use it I'm very happy. I didn't come to think of it. However they will in the end up somewhere for the night and I would say it would be one of the friend's homes.  
  
I have also done on checking chapter 5 to 7. I might get more checked up later today.  
  
Well I got updated more cause we had so good team work with my friend that our school works were done at school. So nothing was left for home. And another thing too. my school is real easy okay. I have only three curses at the moment. I hate too easy stuff, but that leaves me more time to write and draw.  
  
I have also a 'cover' for this story. When I have colored it I will put it up into one of my homepages and tell you the URL so you can check it out. ^_^  
  
See ya! 


	18. I must trust my own eyes!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 18 I must believe my own eyes!  
  
"Have you never heard of demons, you baka!" Shippo snarled lowering himself a bit a on the table he was standing on.  
  
Inu-yasha snarled as well, but he stood there hands folded. "Feh!" he closed his eyes and looked elsewhere like a big baby. "You think I would go and read my brothers books, brat!"  
  
Shippo stared at him almost falling on his nose. Was this guy real? He acted like a big baby. "I don't care what you read but I have lived many winters in this house so you can't just throw me out!" he pointed at him with a little finger.  
  
Inu-yasha opened his eyes slightly to see him. Then he grinned wickedly at the little creature "You wanna try?"  
  
Shippo gulped when seeing the white haired guy to bare his teethes and grinned evilly.  
  
***Kagome's room***  
  
Miroku gasped when he saw it. He saw the ghost in front of him sitting on a chair staring at him hard. He blinked many times and felt how his heart came up to his throat. He was seeing things right?  
  
He turned around when he got even a bit of hold of himself. He breathed heavily and then carefully almost fearing looked over his shoulder.  
  
She was gone and he sighed of relief. He turned fully back toward the chair and wiped his forehead sighing of relief yet again. So, at leas he didn't seem to be turning crazy.  
  
"You see me too, don't you?"  
  
He turned very, very slowly to look up at the roof of the room. There the girl was floating above him looking down at him. He almost screamed of surprise, but now sound came out from him. He fell on the floor and held tight on his heart when he desperately tried to get out from the room.  
  
He turned toward the door, but the girl was suddenly there coming from nowhere. He panicked and started to go forward back wards not leaving her from his sight.  
  
"Watch out!" the girl warned.  
  
"Oh no" Miroku shook his head. "I'm no falling for old tri-" he hit his back against a easel (there is three of those in the room). Water and paint fell on his when the painting itself was falling on the floor but Kagome cached it just in time.  
  
Miroku was paralysed when the ghost took the easel and put the painting on it again. "I tried to warn you" she said carefully being sorry.  
  
Miroku shook his head slightly to think straight. He was still shocked by the ghost but she didn't seem to do any harm to him. He followed her moving when she reached for one of the white sheets and teared a peace of it for her to use.  
  
She came back to him and carefully took palette that had fallen on his head. She laid it beside her and carefully wiped most of the paint away from his face and hair. He gulped but didn't dare to move.  
  
"I was just painting that so the paint is still fresh, you know" she said silently wiping his forehead. Then she let it be and sighed. The wiping didn't help. She would need a lot of water and turpentine to get him clean.  
  
Her lips curled up a bit and she took his hand. "Come on" she exclaimed pulling at his arm. "we need to get you clean."  
  
He hesitated first but the ghost's smile that became a gentle one made him finally move. He stood up slowly not wanting to make any hasty moves. Well, that was only what he wanted.  
  
Kagome pulled him along hastily toward down stairs.  
  
BANG!  
  
Miroku hit himself right toward the nearest wall in the corridor. That made everyone in the house (those were Shippo, Inu-yasha, Jaken and Sesshomaru on the moment) look around in wonder.  
  
Kagome came back from behind the wall her hand on her mouth. "Oh my god" she exclaimed. "I forgot again!"  
  
She kneeled beside him and carefully lifted his chin. "I-I'm a-alright" he assured her best as he could. Well, she didn't need much of assurance and then again she took his hand and started to pull him after her toward the stairs.  
  
"Miroku?" Inu-yasha asked when stepping out from his room. Shippo was looking from beside his legs. Suddenly a hurricane came past them and both of them were left spinning and confused.  
  
Miroku was pulled down the stairs and Jaken who was half way up the stairs went as near the wall as he could. Sesshomaru who had come out from his room happened to see the strange looking Miroku just in time to go back into his room.  
  
When Miroku was past him he looked after the guy eyes wide. He blinked more than ones and then turned to see Inu-yasha and a little strange creature come down the stairs holding their spinning heads.  
  
It didn't take much of time from Kagome to pull Miroku all the way down to the kitchen. She made the black-haired guy to sit down by the table when she herself started to examine the faucet.  
  
"Lets see if I can do this" she muttered and then turned on the knob with a red mark. The faucet started to pour water. She stared at it for a moment smiling to herself. She had done it.  
  
then she put her finger under the faucet to feel on the water just like Inu- yasha's mother do. Well, it didn't really help cause she couldn't feel temperatures. She shrugged her shoulders not understanding why Inu-yasha's mother put her finger under the water.  
  
Then she opened a closet under the sink. She had followed Inu-yasha's mother's doing quite a lot so she knew were to look for a towel. She took a light yellow towel with a blue flower on one end and then put the towel under the water.  
  
At the same moment the three confused guys from upstairs with a dog came to the doorway of the kitchen. They carefully peeked into the room and Inu- yasha's eyes widened badly when seeing Kagome. He carefully, real carefully turned to look at Sesshomaru, but before he could check on his brother's reaction he was interrupted.  
  
"Move your leg, baka" Shippo whispered poking on Inu-yasha's leg.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed rolling his eyes and then lifted the little creature up from his collar. "Listen up, brat" he snarled with a very tiny voice so his snarling didn't have the wanted effect. "This is my home. I live here and I don't want any little fleas like you so get lost."  
  
Then he threw the poor kid to the very other side of the room where the stairs to upstairs were. Then he turned for Miroku and Kagome again forgetting all about Sesshomaru (he have a real long memory *being sarcastic*).  
  
She started to wonder why the water started to steam. She just shrugged her shoulders to that and then squeezed on the towel so that it wouldn't be dropping water all around the room. She turned for Miroku who had with a blank expression stared her doing.  
  
He didn't know what to think, but when she came and started to wipe with the towel he screamed and jumped up. She was startled when he held his cheek. "Hothothothothothothothot!" he managed to chant and jump around the room.  
  
Kagome brought her hands before her mouth again surprised then her eyes flashed of worry. She floated toward Miroku when he finally started to calm down.  
  
Miroku stopped by the sink and stared at the steaming water. He sighed understanding what it was about. "I guess you can't tell warm from cold anymore" he said and started to turn on the knob with a blue mark.  
  
After a moment waiting for the steaming end he dared to put his finger under the water to try on the warmth of it. He decided that it was warm and then put his head under it.  
  
On the same moment Kagome turned for the doorway of the kitchen. She saw Inu-yasha and she smiled widely. "Inu-yasha!" she exclaimed floating at him and bringing him on his the back with her.  
  
Sesshomaru stared wide eyed when his brother fell on the floor suddenly. Well, he knew exactly the real reason, but he didn't want his brother to know. "Inu-yasha" he exclaimed. "I think you should check if you had fever or something. I wouldn't be surprised."  
  
When hearing Sesshomaru's voice Miroku slowly turned his wet head toward the door way. "Oh shit" he cursed under his breath just when Sesshomaru turned for him.  
  
"And you, food-thief" he shouted pointing on Miroku who just couldn't believe that Inu-yasha's brother hadn't yet forgotten about that ramen thing. "I have told you not to go into the kitchen!"  
  
Miroku was stunned when Sesshomaru was quickly beside him. The taller and older one grabbed him from the back of his collar and started to pull the poor-guy after him. "If you want to clean that ugly face of yours that's not the right way.  
  
Inu-yasha glanced back at his brother and friend when they went up. Okay, Sesshomaru was dragging Miroku along.  
  
Inu-yasha stood up when the ghost floated to find Shippo. He vent to the sink to close the faucet and then sighed. Suddenly he, however, shot his eyes wide open. He came to think what Sesshomaru had to have in his mind. Hurriedly he run to stairs and up.  
  
Inu-yasha stopped just when he got to the third floor. He saw Sesshomaru holding his hose that he used when waking Inu-yasha up on mornings. The wicked brother was showering poor Miroku with ice cold water.  
  
"Stop it, Sess!" Inu-yasha shout but hoped he hadn't cause then Sesshomaru turned the hose toward him. When Sesshomaru stopped for a moment to laugh, Inu-yasha and Miroku glanced at each other and then at Sesshomaru.  
  
Kagome came up with Shippo on the next moment and what they saw made their eyes go wide. They saw three wet guys fighting over the leadership-of-the- hose. They dodged a shower of ice cold water coming to their way.  
  
Then they looked up again at the brothers and Miroku. Kagome started to laugh and she could imagine how Inu-yasha's mother looked like when she came back and saw the walls to be trough out wet. But in any case the scene was fun and just on the same moment Miroku grabbed the hose and kept both of the brothers far from him with the pressure of the water.  
  
A/N: I got done the second chapter today. I believe however that it will take at least two chapters now before we get to the school-ending party, or what ever you call it.  
  
You can still give me your suggestions about the party and where they should be over the night.  
  
This A/N is short cause I'm in a hurry to go to my aunt to eat.  
  
Oh well. Please go and check on my other stories *puppy eyes*  
  
See ya! 


	19. Not so ordinary day

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 19 Not so ordinary day  
  
"You're still here," Inu-yasha exclaimed after returning from the bathroom on one of the school mornings. Shippo was sitting on his bed when he came back to his room. "Get lost brat!" He waved his hand toward the little boy, but he was gone.  
  
Shippo snarled. He was standing on Inu-yasha's table now. "I'm a demon," he growled at the white-haired boy.  
  
"Hah!" Inu-yasha shouted, throwing his dirty shirt at the boy on his table. "Like there's something like demons."  
  
Shippo jumped away just in time to avoid the shirt. He landed easily and softly on Inu-yasha's pillow on the bed. "Why are you saying that?" he asked snarling. "You who can see a ghost!"  
  
That stuck Inu-yasha hard and so he didn't attack the boy again. He remembered the reason he got ill weeks ago. He had denied the ghost.  
  
"Don't you believe your own eyes?" Shippo continued. "You see a ghost and believe in it, but then you see a demon and deny it." Inu-yasha closed his eyes tightening his fists.  
  
"Just shut up, brat!" he roared and then grabbed his pants putting them on.  
  
"I have a name you know?!" Shippo roared in return coming nearer the edge of the bed. "My name is Shippo and use it. Loser!"  
  
Inu-yasha roared and chucked one of his school books at the boy. Shippo however jumped away yet again.  
  
"Just wait till Ghosty hears how you threaten her friends!" Shippo piped lifting up the pillow as a shield against the next book Inu-yasha threw at him.  
  
"She has a name you know!" Inu-yasha roared throwing his heavy history book at the boy. "She's Kagome! Ka-go-me!" Then he threw one more book and then grabbed the back of his shirt.  
  
He glanced at his clock. "Shit! I'm gonna be late!" he cursed leaving the room hastily. Shippo carefully looked over the pillow and showed his tongue.  
  
***at school***  
  
"Now open to page 57." Myoga told his students when sitting behind his desk.  
  
The students reached for their bags and for their books. It was that heavy book that made your bag feel heavy as hell. Inu-yasha opened his bag that leaned against his desk.  
  
'Oh shit!' he cursed in his mind, frowning. 'I threw that at the little bastard!' When all the others had their books he just sighed. He was in trouble. Even though Myoga wasn't good at keeping order in a class he was still good in giving detentions.  
  
"Why do you not open your book, Inu-yasha?" Myoga asked and the class started to laugh. At the same moment the teacher waited for the answer, a couple of students passed a note to Inu-yasha's table. Of course Myoga didn't notice anything.  
  
Inu-yasha was silent for a moment and then said. "I threw it at my brother." he said boringly. Some people cheered him and some were quiet still thinking that he was crazy. Inu-yasha didn't like to lie, but in a way it was true. He once threw it at his wicked brother, but this wasn't the reason why he didn't have it.  
  
Myoga was just about to ask the real reason when the people in the class started to get wild again. One boy jumped over few tables to get to his friend. On Inu-yasha's left was a girl sitting on a table that was one of the boy's place.  
  
Inu-yasha was just about to fall asleep from being so bored - and actually he was tired as well - when something hit the back of his head. He turned around to see Kouga smile teasingly and when he looked down there was a paper ball on the floor.  
  
He snarled at Kouga and took the ball. After rolling it in his hand for a moment he threw it at the boy on his left who was flirting with the girl on his table.  
  
***after class***  
  
Inu-yasha grumbled while he walked out of the class room toward the stairs that took him to the lowest floor.  
  
"Inu-yasha!"  
  
He turned around and saw Kouga running toward him. Inu-yasha put his hands into his pockets boringly. "Wasn't the paper ball enough?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
Kouga just grinned when he stopped. "Well, I hit the bulls-eye didn't I?"  
  
Inu-yasha rolled his eyes at him. He wasn't in the mood to start another fight again. "However, you should have read the message on the paper."  
  
"Huh?" Inu-yasha got a wondering look not understanding.  
  
"Well, the ball was a message" Kouga said like it would be obvious. "Never heard of one even though they pass messages over your desk all the time?"  
  
Inu-yasha snarled folding his arms. Kouga just rolled his eyes.  
  
"Anyway, Miroku wanted to see you at the back door." Kouga said putting his hands in his pockets. "That was what I tried to tell you in the message. It's all I know though." He shrugged his shoulders.  
  
Inu-yasha stared at Kouga for a moment and then with out a word marched away toward the stairs again. Kouga just shrugged his shoulders again when one of his friends came to him.  
  
***back door***  
  
Inu-yasha walked past many students of whom most still thought he was crazy. Some however respected him now cause he got along with Kouga. He turned left at the next corner to get to the back door. If he would have turned to right he would have gotten to the main door.  
  
There he saw Miroku leaning on the wall beside the door. He had again that serious look on his face, but when he turned to glance toward Inu-yasha he smiled cheerfully again.  
  
"Good!" he exclaimed. "Kouga did deliver the message."  
  
Inu-yasha put his hands into his pockets. "Why couldn't you tell me yourself?"  
  
"Well, I didn't want to be late from my first lesson just to inform you. This is important, though." Miroku looked stupidly thoughtful but then he smiled again.  
  
"What can be so important?" Inu-yasha had to ask, putting his weight on his other leg.  
  
Miroku put a finger to his lips and then looked around like something suspicious was going on. When he was sure that no one was near enough to here he said, "Come outside so I can tell you." He grinned and then opened the door behind him.  
  
Inu-yasha followed not really interested about what it was.  
  
"INU-YASHA!"  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes widened and he stiffened when cool hands went around his neck and a cool body was pressed against his in a cool hug. He swallowed and then almost fearing he turned for Miroku.  
  
Miroku was grinning widely at him, but Inu-yasha still couldn't get it trough his thick head.  
  
"So. What did you want to show me?" he asked like Kagome hadn't been hanging on him.  
  
Miroku's grin disappeared and his expression turned into an irritable one. "Are you blind or something?" he asked. "Or have Kikyo brainwashed you in bed?"  
  
"WHAT?!!!!"  
  
Inu-yasha lifted Miroku up by his collar and huffed angrily. "Don't say something like that, Miroku-you-hentai!"  
  
Miroku grinned and felt how cold sweat formed on his forehead. "Well, at least you sound like a girl." he said and that was a mistake.  
  
Inu-yasha let go of him and Miroku fell on the ground painfully. "Just shut up!" The white-haired guy hit Miroku's head forming a bump.  
  
"She definitely have brainwashed you, but the place might have been a car." Miroku said but he couldn't end it thought.  
  
Kagome stared at Inu-yasha with wide eyes when he violently beated poor Miroku. She used the moment to look around. The back of the school was empty. No people were around. Just some cars that belonged to teachers. Kagome just had to wonder what were those iron-horses.  
  
"Alright, alright!" Miroku piped and suddenly Inu-yasha stopped beating. He looked carefully around from the ground to see where his white-haired friend had gone. He saw Inu-yasha sitting against the door.  
  
"So, why did you bring me here?" Inu-yasha asked huffing and looking away, but otherwise acting like nothing had happened.  
  
Having recovered real quickly Miroku stood up and scowled at his friend. "Like you wouldn't know?"  
  
"No, I do not know." Inu-yasha said boringly, but glanced at the ghost who was floating a bit further away keeping her hands behind his back.  
  
"Are you stupid or is you head only thicker than I thought!" Miroku shouted and grabbed the ghost by her shoulders. He brought her right before Inu- yasha. "This is why I called you! She was looking for you!"  
  
Inu-yasha and Kagome were so near that their noses touched. They stared into each others eyes when their cheeks started to redden. Trying to avoid blushing more Inu-yasha turned for Miroku "Wha.? How.?"  
  
Miroku folded his arms after letting Kagome free. "Yes, I see her! Yes, I hear her! Yes, I can talk to her and yes, I do believe you now!"  
  
Inu-yasha stared at Miroku long partly not getting it and partly trying to figure out what Miroku had said.  
  
"What kind of secret meeting is going on here?!" The friends turned to look at approaching Sango as well Kikyo who was behind her.  
  
Sango froze on the place. She stared straight into a pair of cute eyes that were calm. She gulped when seeing a faint figure of a girl.  
  
Kagome stared at Sango calmly and slowly she started to fade away. Sango just blinked her eyes when Kikyo walked past her to Inu-yasha. What had she seen?  
  
"What are you waiting for, Sango?!" Kikyo called after sitting down beside Inu-yasha. No one had noticed her nervousness and she was happy for that, but what she saw made her wonder. Did the ghost really exist or was she becoming crazy?  
  
***Saloon Bar***  
  
Inu-yasha leaned against the counter when Koishi was looking for a clean glass for his friend. "So, do you get paid well?" Inu-yasha asked when Koishi's head appeared again from behind the counter.  
  
"Well, enough to live and pay your dad rental for the room." Koishi told his friend filling the glass he had found with beer. "Aren't you going to do anything tonight?" He disappeared again behind the counter putting the beer before Inu-yasha.  
  
"I don't know." Inu-yasha told his friend sipping his beer. "I might end up meeting a girl."  
  
Koishi shot up from behind the counter. He came right before Inu-yasha and brought his face just inches away from his. "Don't tell me you are two- timing Kikyo!" he exclaimed.  
  
Inu-yasha was shocked by his friend's reaction. When he got over his shock. "No, I'm not." he said defensively. Maybe too much because Koishi stared at him, a bit suspecting. Why he had said it defensively Inu-yasha didn't know. Like he would have something like that to hide.  
  
"It's just a girl I own my life okay," he said leaning a bit back mostly cause he didn't want to be so near Koishi.  
  
"Your life?" Koishi asked and Inu-yasha realised that he had said too much. "What could have happened?" He leaned on the counter demanding an explanation from Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha gulped and felt how cold sweat formed on his forehead.  
  
"Here I am again!" Inu-yasha turned to look toward the door being happy getting an excuse not to answer. "Your most beloved Aliz!" Aliz limped down the stairs that went down from the door. The bar was halfway underground.  
  
"Inu-yasha!" she exclaimed turning for the counter. She came to him and ruffled his white hair. "How is my little fighting dog?"  
  
"The usual." Inu-yasha asked not wanting to make a big deal about her way to greet him. She had saved his life anyway.  
  
"Give me the Aliz's special, Koishi." she exclaimed putting her arms around Inu-yasha.  
  
Koishi stared at the two for a moment stunned. What was going on? Slowly he recalled Aliz's words and so he reached for 'Aliz's special'.  
  
"That's you special?" Inu-yasha asked when pointing on a bottle of strong alcohol that Koishi brought before Aliz.  
  
"Of course!" she exclaimed. "See!" She brought the bottle right in front of Inu-yasha and he saw that on the label read her name. When he nodded she was satisfied and then opened the bottle.  
  
Both Koishi and Inu-yasha stared at Aliz when she took a big gulp from the bottle. Koishi used the moment for his benefit and leaned closer to Inu- yasha whispering, "I will get it out from you later." Inu-yasha gulped.  
  
Aliz wasn't as stupid as she usually let out. She grinned behind the bottle at the two knowing exactly what they were talking about.  
  
Inu-yasha took a gulp from his beer and glanced at Koishi who went to serve another customer. He knew all too well how Koishi would react when he heard. He would find these guys and kick their brains out. Koishi was brother to Kiken anyway. To Kiken, who's even more wicked than Sesshomaru.  
  
Inu-yasha just wished that he wouldn't need to tell the truth. He didn't want to see more spilled blood. And he knew that if Koishi found out it wouldn't be his blood anymore.  
  
***fourth floor***  
  
Inu-yasha cursed when he hit his toe against the threshold when he was going into his bedroom. He was lucky that his mother was sleeping cause otherwise she would have heard from her. He was drunk and it was three on the morning.  
  
Luckily it was Friday. He had gotten a bit carried away with Aliz and also Koishi got a bit drunk, but he was in better condition than Inu-yasha was. Luckily when Inu-yasha had started to dance Aliz had decided that it was time for Inu-yasha to get home. So she had called Chaz who had brought him home.  
  
Now Inu-yasha was, however, back at home and not even Sesshomaru had woken up cause of his noisiness, though, Inu-yasha wasn't exactly sure he was home.  
  
He got into his room and looked around to make sure that Shippo wasn't around. When he was sure about it he went to his bed and sat down.  
  
"Inu-yasha." Kagome said silently, coming through the wall. He just sat there drooping. She came nearer and sat silently beside him.  
  
There was a long somewhat uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Why are you always so happy to see me?" Inu-yasha suddenly asked turning his sleepy eyes at Kagome.  
  
Kagome blinked many times. Why was he asking something like this? "You are my best friend, Inu-yasha." she said grinning even though she felt strange cause of his question.  
  
"Heh!" Inu-yasha turned to look down again smiling. Kagome came nearer bringing her head under his wondering what was in his mind.  
  
Before she could realise he had grabbed her head and pressed his lips against her cool ones. He eyes widened and she knew that she was blushing furiously, but he just kissed and after a moment she lost her stiffness and returned the kiss.  
  
"You are going to hear of this, jerk." Shippo whispered grinning. He was above a wardrobe on his belly and stared at the pair on the bed.  
  
A/N: Well. I was a bit surprised with the ending myself. It wasn't in my plans at the beginning, but I started to think on what should happen when and quite soon should start this that Inu-yasha feels that he's two-timing. Well I won't tell more about that!  
  
I see that there are at least two Kikyo haters here reading this story. Well, I don't like her myself either, but I don't like to make her evil or something. She's part of the group in this story and is going to be even in the sequel.  
  
I'm also sorry, but I have to bring up more Inu-yasha and Kikyo's relationship in the next chapter, but so I will bring more up fluffy things between Kagome and Inu-yasha. ^_^  
  
On the 21st chapter they will go skating and then. the place is still open where they would go after this. ^_^  
  
Well.. That's all this time  
  
See ya! 


	20. Happiness

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 20 Happiness  
  
The next morning was terrible. Inu-yasha had a terrible hangover and to his disluck Sesshomaru had gotten the idea on that morning to wake him up 7 a.m. So. In other words Inu-yasha got a nice cold shower right in bed.  
  
"Curse you, Sess!" Inu-yasha shout when Sesshomaru finally closed the hose. Then immediately after he cursed under his breath. He had a terrible headache.  
  
Sesshomaru swung the hose over his shoulder and stared at Inu-yasha grinning. "I figure that you would have liked that after yesterday" the older brother said grinning even wider.  
  
Inu-yasha was drying his face into his sheets when he looked up at Sesshomaru. Did he know? "You could have been more silent, you know" Sesshomaru said boringly yawning.  
  
Inu-yasha grumbled something and then went down on his side and covered himself with his cover.  
  
Sesshomaru shrugged his shoulder and turned around to leave. However he did hit his toes somewhere.  
  
"What in nine-hells is this, Inu?!"  
  
Inu-yasha grumbled and cursed when rolling around and looked from under his cover at Sesshomaru. His tall brother was standing there holding poor Shippo up in the air. The little demon struggled but Sesshomaru had a too good hold of his tail.  
  
"I don't know!" Inu-yasha said rolling around again, turning his back to his brother. He didn't care even the slightest bit about what happened to Shippo.  
  
Shippo folded his arms and looked elsewhere, but what Sesshomaru said next panicked him. "Then you don't care if I eat 'im?!" the tall guy said with a too cheerful voice for Shippo's liking.  
  
"What?" Shippo said silently looking up at Sesshomaru who grinned evilly.  
  
"Be my guest!" Inu-yasha grumbled from under the cover.  
  
"What!" poor Shippo shout panicking. "You can't let me eat him, Inu-yasha, old pal!"  
  
Inu-yasha turned around again to face his brother and the little kitsune. "Since when have we been pals?!"  
  
That followed a long silence. Sesshomaru saw the two of them stare at each other giving death-glares. He sighed and threw the little demon at Inu- yasha. "When I think it again" he said yawning. "I'm not interested in flea- bitten furballs."  
  
Shippo and Inu-yasha looked after Sesshomaru who left the room right after. Then they both moved quickly to different end of the bed staring at each other hatefully.  
  
On the same moment the door opened again and fearing that it was Sesshomaru Shippo jumped to Inu-yasha's shoulder covering himself into his white hair. However, both of them sighed of relief when it was only Kagome. The ghost had to use the door to get those clothes she was carrying in to the room.  
  
Inu-yasha glanced at his shoulder with narrowed eyes and after a moment the little kitsune flew trough the room beside the windows. Then he looked at Kagome who shyly placed the clothes on the bed.  
  
She quickly glanced at him, but then she returned her gaze at the clothes again witch she folded tidily into neat piles. 'She's blushing' he thought looking at her. She had never been blushing so much cause even thought she was a ghost her cheeks were almost red as tomatoes. Until this day they had only been a pale rose when she blushed.  
  
"Here is clothes for you" Kagome said shyly giving a pile of green clothes to Inu-yasha but keeping her gaze away from him. Inu-yasha had no idea what to do. She looked down a long moment and then smiled to him eyes closed. "I'll get the rest of your clean clothes" then she left before Inu-yasha could stop her.  
  
Shippo crawled up on the bed having a huge bump on his head. He grinned when he saw Inu-yasha to stare at the door where Kagome had gone trough.  
  
Inu-yasha shook his head and glanced quickly at Shippo. Hiding all his worry he said casually "What's with her?"  
  
Shippo grinned even more wider. "Just like I gusset" the little kitsune said. "You don't remember."  
  
Inu-yasha turned to look at him. "What are you hiding?" he demanded.  
  
Shippo grinned. "You kissed her quite passionately last night."  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes widened and before he realised he was already blushing. "No" he exclaimed hastily. "You must be lying!"  
  
"Maybe yes, maybe no" Shippo said calmly seeing the nervousness in Inu- yasha's eyes. "But do you have courage enough to ask her the truth?"  
  
"What!" Inu-yasha exclaimed. "Of course I have! I fear nothing!" He stood up hastily and walked toward the door ready to go after the ghost.  
  
"What if I told the truth and she finds out that you kissed her accidentally?" the kitsune asked leaning his head on his palm.  
  
Inu-yasha turned around carefully to look at the kitsune. "She seem to be very happy" the demon continued. "What if that is cause of the kiss? What if she is happy cause kissed her?" He walked on the edge of the bed. "Do you have the courage to ask her did you kiss her?"  
  
Suddenly Inu-yasha felt how his legs gave up and before he knew he was on the floor. What if this little creature told the trust? Did he really have the courage to find out the truth? Did he really have the courage to see Kagome loose that happiness? He swallowed hard and leaned his head on the door.  
  
What should he do?  
  
***out in the garden later on the day***  
  
It was cold outside when Inu-yasha was sitting on a bench near the gate of the yard. He had a warm cup of coffee in his hands and a termos-bottle beside him. He was sitting on a bench and looked at the road when people walked by. He sighed.  
  
He had to get out to think on himself and not even his mothers begging for him to stay inside helped. But he had to think! What if Shippo did told the truth?! But. Kikyo is his girlfriend! It would be right to make clear to Kagome that if he had kissed her it didn't mean anything. But she looked so happy.  
  
He glanced at the house sipping the coffee. How he missed Tokyo and his old life. There he wouldn't need to worry about some ghost.  
  
Ghost. Kagome.  
  
But then. He would never had known her. Then he would never have met her.  
  
He sighed again. Everything was so complicated.  
  
"Oi, Inu-yasha!" The white haired guy turned to look at Miroku who run into the yard trough the gates. Miroku stopped before his friend. "Man you look terrible! What have you done?"  
  
Inu-yasha looked up at his friend and hid his face behind the huge cub of coffee when taking another sip. Miroku sat down beside him on the bench. "Don't tell me you got drunk yesterday" he said, but Inu-yasha's death- glare told the truth. He hit the point! He grinned.  
  
There was a long silence. Inu-yasha was staring at his cup and sighing more than often. Miroku was looking at the little birds that tried to find something to eat on the ground. "How's the ghost?", Miroku finally asked.  
  
Inu-yasha stared at the cub. "More happy than ever" he said his voice almost trembling. What have he done?!  
  
"That's good news!" Miroku exclaimed cheerfully. Then he looked at Inu- yasha smiling, but his mile disappeared when he noticed his friend to be so down. "What is with you?" He put his hand on Inu-yasha's shoulder. "She's happy and that's good. Or is this about something else. You are so down, man!"  
  
Inu-yasha sighed maybe the hundred time on that say and the clock wasn't even eleven yet. He took a sip of the coffee again not answering Miroku.  
  
There was a silence again until Miroku remembered why he had come in the first place. "I forgot to tell you!" he exclaimed turning cheerfully toward Inu-yasha. "We were planning to invade Hojo's party today. Me, Sango, Kikyo and Kouga, I mean."  
  
Inu-yasha looked at him. "Who's Hojo?" he asked.  
  
"You don't know?" Miroku asked unbelieving. When they stared at each other for a moment he said "I guess you don't." Miroku sighed. "He's a second grader that have a big house here. Every year he arrange a party at his place one week before the school's end for the Christmas for only his class, but also. We happen to invade it ever year as well."  
  
Inu-yasha looked at his friend to grin widely. "Invade?"  
  
"We just intruders there, but they doesn't dare to throw us out especially when Hojo is that kind of wuss and easy to trick. Also they know well that we are coming."  
  
Inu-yasha sipped his coffee again and he didn't even realise that he wasn't worrying so much anymore over what might have happened last night.  
  
"I came here to ask you are you coming" Miroku said and asked at the same time. "You could bring your friend Koishi as well."  
  
Inu-yasha looked at Miroku and after a moment hit his friend's shoulder. "I'm coming!" Then he hissed and held his head.  
  
"Don't tell me you have a hangover?!" Miroku said when he stared at his friend to grimace.  
  
***later***  
  
There was almost perfectly dark in the house. There was some lights of red green and blue color that moved like disco-lights. The room was full of people and you could barely make any sense about their faces or clothing.  
  
Suddenly someone grabbed Inu-yasha's arm and before he realised he was sitting beside Koishi and Kouga on a sofa and on the other side of a table on another sofa was Miroku and Sango kissing too passionately. Inu-yasha had to look away and so he saw Koishi on his left share a bottle of alcohol into six glasses. On his right Kouga was talking to a blonde girl who's curls were long and covering what her clothes weren't covering.  
  
Just when Koishi was giving him one of the glasses someone was pulling him away again. The liquid in the glass fell on him when he was pulled away, but he didn't feel wet for some unnamed reason. He glanced behind him seeing Koishi and Kouga, both, licking the floor where some of the liquid had fell.  
  
Then he turned to look at the one who was pulling him. It was Kikyo pulling him after her trough the people into a dark corner. She kissed him passionately and reached for his belt. His eyes widened on her actions and before he realised he was on the ground on top of Kikyo.  
  
Top of Kikyo who was naked with out any clothes. He gasped and when he looked up at Kikyo's face again he thought he would meet those somewhat cold eyes, but now. He met those same eyes, but warm ones.  
  
"Kagome" he gasped. She reached her arms out to grab his head into a kiss, but he backed. He stared at Kagome who came near him. She was naked and on top of that. Blood and flesh.  
  
"Are you two-timing Kikyo?" he heard a familiar voice to ask. He turned around to see Koishi standing there holding his bottle.  
  
"How could you two-time her?" he heard another familiar voice. He saw Sango standing there dressed into a strange suit. She was reaching for a huge boomerang on her back and he backed again.  
  
He hit his back against something and when he looked up he saw Miroku dressed into a dress of dark color and holding a metal staff in his hands.  
  
Inu-yasha turned around again and then he heard a growl from behind him. He looked over his shoulder seeing Kouga holding Kagome tightly in his arms dressed into strange clothes and having a long wolf-tail. "She's my woman, dog" Kouga growled.  
  
Then Inu-yasha looked quickly down and saw that he didn't have the same clothes that he had just a moment ago on him. He had a red kimono on himself and when he touched his head he found a pair of dog ears.  
  
"Inu-yasha!" he heard a shout from the side. He saw Kikyo standing there dressed like a miko and holding a bow and arrow. She was aiming at him. He stood up and walked backwards and before he knew he hit his back against a huge tree.  
  
He looked up what then he heard Kikyo to free her arrow. He glanced at Kikyo and then he the arrow hit him.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.!!!!!!!!"  
  
Inu-yasha sat up in his bed huffing heavily. Cold sweat was falling on his forehead and when he finally got a hold of himself he fell back on the bed.  
  
"It was only a dream" he muttered. "Only a dream."  
  
Still breathing heavily he started to wonder on the dream. It was just like one back when he had denied the ghost. He had those same clothes and all his friends were dressed as funnily as him. And why. Why did Kagome come into the picture?  
  
He sat up on the bed again. He had taken a nap hoping that he would feel a bit better before going to the party with his friends. He glanced at the clock and his eyes widened. "damn, I'm late!"  
  
Shippo was laying on his stomach with Kagome on the closet looking at Inu- yasha who hastily left the room. "What's his problem?" Shippo muttered.  
  
Kagome was just silent smiling happily when she looked over her shoulder and trough the window at Inu-yasha who run trough the yard to the road.  
  
***Hojo's place***  
  
When they got to Hojo's party there first appeared problems, but it somehow seemed that Hojo himself wasn't bothered cause of the intruders when they came to the place. Even so. All the people there welcomed them when they saw many bottles of beer that Koishi had brought from the bar he was working in.  
  
Now the companions were sitting by a table on two sofas that seemed terribly familiar to Inu-yasha. He was sitting on the other edge of one of the sofa's having bottle of beer in his hand. Kikyo was laying on the same sofa having her head on Inu-yasha's lap and her legs were on the backrest. Koishi was sitting on that end opening a bottle of beer again. He was hiding all the beer he had under the sofa.  
  
On the other sofa Sango was sitting with Kouga who was teaching a game to her and couple of the younger girls. Inu-yasha looked at the people in the room that was dark and had few small lights there and there, but to his luck there was no disco-lights. He saw Miroku's little pony-tail often between the people and the shouts from the girls told exactly where he was.  
  
"Why do you come here every year?" Inu-yasha asked Kikyo who looked up at him from his lap.  
  
"Cause of the food, of course!" she exclaimed not hearing if Hojo's friends heard her. It was commonly known why they were always there. "I'll get us some" she said standing up and disappearing from sight.  
  
On the same moment Koishi laid down nicely taking Kikyo's place. He had somehow managed to get one of his associate to work for him today so he got here instead of standing behind disk in the bar. He didn't steal the beer either. Miroku and Kouga had paid him money for them.  
  
Sometime later Kikyo came back having many plates of food with her and a pervert called Miroku after him like a hungry wolf.  
  
"You should become a waitress, Kikyo" Sango exclaimed when the other girl brought the plates. At that same time the couple of girls that had been with Sango and Kouga left cause someone started to play a song they all knew.  
  
"Did you already forget that I used to work at my grandmother's restaurant" Kikyo said smiling. On the same moment she saw Miroku to grab one of the plates and before anyone realised he was sitting between Kouga and Sango. Koishi grabbed one plate as quickly still laying on the sofa.  
  
Kikyo came by the sofa glaring at Koishi. Still Koishi didn't move his legs that were on her place. Kikyo shrugged his shoulders and sat down on his legs. Koishi grimaced first cause his legs were in a bad way under her, but then he got a better position and continued eating what was on the plate.  
  
Kikyo just snarled and took a plate and offered it to Inu-yasha. Inu-yasha hadn't paid any attention to his friend's behaviour and carefully took the plate.  
  
Time passed and now Inu-yasha was sitting by a window in his own thoughts. Kikyo had been drinking a lot and Koishi was in trouble on the moment. Like Inu-yasha he neither was drinking much cause he had had a headache on the morning as well. Kikyo was forcing him to eat all the stuff they had yet left.  
  
On the other sofa was now only Kouga cause a long moment ago Miroku and Sango had needed some privacy. They still hadn't made up, but it seemed that some alcohol helped them to make up. Hopefully at least. Kouga in other hand had fallen asleep on the sofa and didn't notice when couple of the second graders tried to throw nuts into his open mouth.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed. On the moment all he could think was Kagome, the dream and wonder was Shippo's words true. The noise in the place was calming down cause many people were falling asleep. The biggest noise came from the upper floor where people were fighting over the rooms.  
  
When he glanced over his shoulder again he didn't see Koishi and Kikyo anymore on the sofa. Now there was a young pair and Kouga was still on the other sofa. He turned his gaze out of the window again.  
  
Suddenly someone grabbed his hand and pulled him along. "Come" Kikyo told him giggling. He followed her into a dark corner. He felt suddenly uncomfortable recalling his dream. He was following anyway.  
  
Kikyo hit her back against the wall in the corner and brought Inu-yasha's lips down t hers. He was first stunned and he also got a flashback of his dream, but then he told himself that this time it wasn't a dream. This time it was real and he shouldn't play an idiot.  
  
He returned the kiss and then Kikyo brought them down on their knees into the corner. She closed her eyes and put her ear against his chest and listened his heart. "You heart is beating hard" she whispered and sighed smiling. He felt how she became heavier meaning that she had relaxed in his arms. He couldn't help but sigh on the moment. His dream wasn't coming true after all.  
  
They were a moment like that. Silently. Then Kikyo moved again and whispered "Inu-yasha?" he looked down at her , but before he even knew she was kissing him again more passionately than ever. He didn't return that kiss until.  
  
He remembered now and then. He remembered last night when he had kissed the ghost. Kissed her soft yet cold lips that however felt so much warmer than Kikyo's. He had kissed Kagome and now she was so happy.  
  
His eyes shot up and he pulled quickly Kikyo away. She just giggled not really realising that she had been pulled away. 'She's happy for my kiss' he thought when Kikyo slowly fell on his lap again. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Inu-yasha looked up remembering Kagome's happy face. 'Why.? Why do I feel so happy about it?' he asked himself forgetting all about Kikyo when bringing his hand on his chest.  
  
'Why do my heart leap so much of happiness?'  
  
A/N: Now here is the 20th chapter of Tears of a Ghost. The next chapter (as promised) the people will be skating. That's actually all I know of the chapter. I don't exactly know yet what exactly happens.  
  
Thanks also to those people who have been hanging here and reading this story even thought I have had sometimes long brakes. Right now I still have a lot of school works, but I felt like writing.  
  
Next I should do my homework that I got from Swedish-lessons. Oh well, they are easy.  
  
Even thought I might again have a long brake it doesn't mean I have forgotten the stories.  
  
See ya! 


	21. Skating Under Night Sky

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 21  
  
Skating Under Night Sky  
  
"Don't be afraid" Inu-yasha told Sango while he, on his skates, went over to her. The school had ended for Christmas and he was in a good mood. His friends had decided to come skating.  
  
Kagome had been in good mood and Inu-yasha was happy for that, but he was sad that he couldn't bring the ghost here with him. She would have loved it, he knew.  
  
The skating place was outside, under the sky. The sky was cloudless and the stars were shining even though you couldn't see them so well with all the lights around. In the village it was the only place where you could skate and so there was a lot of people.  
  
"It's not hard" Miroku assured Sango who had never being skating. He took her hand and pulled her after him.  
  
"Stop! Stop!" Sango shouted, almost tripping. She wasn't used to standing on skates any way.  
  
"Don't worry" Inu-yasha said grabbing the girl's other hand. Miroku and Inu- yasha were skating back wards pulling her with them.  
  
Kikyo was putting her skates on when Koishi sat down beside her. "What happened after the party?" he asked her. Kikyo looked up toward Inu-yasha. "He's been acting differently since then."  
  
Kikyo sighed, staring at Inu-yasha with slightly sad eyes.  
  
***Flashback***  
  
"I don't think this will work, Kikyo."  
  
Kikyo looked up at Inu-yasha. The both of them were standing on a balcony at Hojo's house. She had a terrible hangover because of the night before. She was wearing his coat because it was cold but he didn't actually have time to think about the cold at the moment.  
  
"Somehow.It doesn't feel right anymore" Inu-yasha said and leaned on the barrier of the balcony looking down at people who were in the yard of the house drinking hot coffee.  
  
Kikyo looked down as well. She felt cold but she also felt cold inside. When she looked up at him, she saw in his eyes that he had found something that made him feel alive. She wouldn't want to let him go but somehow she had always known that this would come before her and that was why she wasn't so upset.  
  
Inu-yasha was silent and smiled a bit, looking at the white view. It was beautiful and he kind of wished that Kagome would be beside him now, looking at this great view. He mentally hit himself for that. Why was he thinking about the ghost just when he was going to brake up with Kikyo?  
  
He turned to look at her and saw her looking down with calm but sad eyes. He felt bad, but to keep this feeling he had inside and not do what his heart told would be a lot worse to him as well to Kikyo. "I.I still would like to be friends, but." He went silent letting his smile disappear.  
  
Kikyo sighed deeply and turned slowly to look at him. "If that is how you feel." she said forcing a small smile. She looked down and sighed again. Why was she doing this so easily? Maybe because she was always ready for this.  
  
Inu-yasha stared at her. He couldn't believe how calmly she took it. After a moment he put his arms around her, surprising her but he still hugged her with all his heart. He still wanted to be friends!  
  
***back to now***  
  
"Nothing too special." Kikyo said silently and stood up after she had her skates on. "Do you skate?"  
  
"Not really." Koishi answered, turning to look at the three friends on skates a little further away. He stood up and hid his hands into his jacket pockets. "It's been too many years since the last time I was skating."  
  
Kikyo nodded having the usual coldness and the new sadness in her eyes. Koishi just stared at her as she went after her friends. He sighed, not understanding these people. He had been very worried during these few days because Sesshomaru happened to suddenly let Inu-yasha's secret out.Almost!  
  
Sesshomaru had been talking about something, an attack and a graveyard, but Koishi couldn't put the pieces together. He also remembered when Inu-yasha said that he owed his life to Aliz. Koishi knew that all those were somehow connected to each other, but he couldn't figure it out.  
  
"Just relax, Sango." Miroku said calmly, grabbing the girl's waist and Inu- yasha let her hand free. "I'll hold you." He grinned widely.  
  
"Not that low, hentai!" Sango shouted, slapping Miroku across the face while Inu-yasha was skating away from them backwards with a smile and feeling very great.  
  
"Watch out!" he heard a shout from the side and before he knew he hit his back on something and fell down.  
  
Kouga came to him on skates and pushed Inu-yasha away. "You okay?" he asked. Inu-yasha thought that Kouga was talking to him but when he turned around he saw Kouga helping a girl up. The girl had short black hair and what was the strangest thing was that the girl didn't really have much on her and it was freezing cold.  
  
"I'm okay, thanks." she said to Kouga and smiled a somewhat wicked smile. Kouga felt very uncomfortable after she smiled, but before he could say anything again she was gone and was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Inu-yasha stood up and looked around in wonder. Where did that girl go so suddenly? Still, he had this strange feeling like someone was watching him. He looked behind him nervously, but saw no one who he knew or no one who would show any interest to him.  
  
"That was a strange one." Kouga spoke his thoughts aloud making Inu-yasha turn to him again. Kouga shrugged his shoulders and with out glancing at Inu-yasha he started to skate calmly toward the rest of the friends.  
  
Inu-yasha looked around again and then followed.  
  
Koishi yawned and leaned his head on his hand, sitting in the snow. It was getting boring. All the others were skating and he knew not one of the people around him. Suddenly someone ran toward him. All he could see was something black because this someone ran too fast. Koishi turned around to look behind him and in the distance he saw a girl with black short hair running away.  
  
He narrowed his eyes in wonder and then turned to look at the skating friends just when Inu-yasha and Kouga returned to the others. He shook his head and yawned again, wanting to go home and sleep, but he didn't.  
  
"Good, Sango" Inu-yasha praised her while holding both her hands and skating backward. Sango finally relaxed because she was in someone else's, other than Miroku's, hands. Miroku was actually sulking at the side, but Inu-yasha knew that in truth the two of them were making up.  
  
Kouga came, after a while, and changed places with Inu-yasha. Sango had finally started to move her legs and slowly gain her balance on her own. Kouga was holding only one of her hands. Inu-yasha was skating around them, a smile on his face.  
  
How he wished that Kagome was here. He would want to see her smiling face and she would be able to see so many people here.  
  
"So.Are we going to your place tonight, Inu-yasha?" Kikyo asked, coming up behind him. She grabbed his shoulder to stop herself. She wasn't so good with slowing down yet.  
  
Inu-yasha took her other hand, helping her slow down. "I believe so" he said when she finally stopped. "My parents aren't at home and Sesshomaru won't be too much trouble if we just buy him drinks."  
  
She nodded and smiled. She turned to look at Kouga and Sango. "It seems that she is finally starting to trust herself" she said. "That's what you need when you are skating. You need to trust yourself before anything else." She turned to look at Inu-yasha and he smiled.  
  
"What's up with you two!?" Miroku shouted, coming toward Kikyo and Inu- yasha with full speed. Inu-yasha's and Kikyo's eyes widened when their friend came at them and before they knew they were already down on their backs, having a grinning Miroku on their bellies.  
  
"Gosh, Miroku!" Kikyo gasped, trying to get out from under him, but Miroku's other knee was pressing into her stomach. "You are getting fat!!" she shouted.  
  
Inu-yasha was too concerned with getting Miroku of to say anything. He grabbed the hentai's collar and pushed him away.  
  
Miroku fell on his butt beside the two of them, when the former lovers were gasping for air. He smirked and rubbed his behind after standing up. Inu- yasha and Kikyo weren't quite ready to stand up.  
  
"Watch out!!" Kikyo turned to look at their other side and there Sango was coming right at them. Her eyes widened and Sango slipped on her and Inu- yasha, making them gasp for air again.  
  
Koishi looked from the side, realising for the first time that he was getting cold. It seemed like Inu-yasha was changing dramatically.  
  
The Inu-yasha Koishi used to know wasn't like this. On top of that he didn't need much to know that Inu-yasha and Kikyo had broken up. He just couldn't understand what made his long-time friend so happy.  
  
He stood up as the others came toward him laughing happily. What was there he didn't know?  
  
**at Inu-yasha's***  
  
"Wow! This house is really huge! Not only outside, but also inside!" Kouga gasped after stepping into the mansion where Inu-yasha lived. Koishi walked to the stairs and up like he would have lived there all his life.  
  
Inu-yasha looked around like something was missing. "What is it Inu-yasha?" Kikyo asked while she took her shoes off.  
  
"This is strange" he said, scratching his head. "Usually Jaken would come running down when someone comes in."  
  
"Who's Jaken?" Sango asked, not noticing Miroku who stared at the stairs. Kagome was there looking carefully from behind the barrier. When she saw that he was looking at her she smiled as a greeting.  
  
Miroku smiled and nodded. Kouga noticed that and turned to look at the stairs but he didn't see anything. "You should stop daydreaming, pal!" he said hitting Miroku's shoulder and taking his own shoes off.  
  
"Oh, yeah" Miroku said, waking up from his thoughts. Of course Kouga didn't see and actually.It was better that way.  
  
"Jaken" Inu-yasha repeated, stepping toward the stairs. "He's Sesshomaru's dog. A wicked one." He turned back to his friends. "Just be like at home!" He turned for the kitchen, grabbing some bags they had with them.  
  
He quickly came back from the kitchen. "If you are not too afraid, I mean." He winked his eye and then disappeared to the kitchen again.  
  
"Can we go to the living-room?" Miroku asked loudly and got an agreeing answer from Inu-yasha in the kitchen. "Lets go" he told his friends and they followed. He glanced at the ghost on the stairs who was still standing there. He nodded to her like it would be okay for her to go to the kitchen now.  
  
Kagome didn't wait. She floated to the kitchen to see Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha put the stuff they had in their bags (mostly drinks) into the fridge and felt the familiar cold breeze. "I don't believe they are around, right?" he asked, turning around to look at her.  
  
She nodded, shyly standing by the doorway. "That's good" he said, walking toward her. "I'm sorry that you can't be around much tonight."  
  
She tilted her head and looked at him. "Shippo went for food so he's not here" she said like he would never have said anything.  
  
He sighed and nodded and thanked god in his mind. The little fox-demon would be the biggest trouble in the house. "Where's Jaken?" he asked her. He knew she knew for she was here always anyway.  
  
"Went out with your brother, but I believe that they are coming back soon" she replied. The truth was that Sesshomaru had told her he wouldn't be out long, but just like Sesshomaru she neither wanted Inu-yasha to know that his brother knows about the ghost.  
  
Inu-yasha studied her for a moment. "What's with you?" he asked. "You usually come at me for a big bear hug."  
  
She blushed and slowly came up to him, giving a slight kiss on his lips. "You just have fun with your friends tonight, okay" she said winking her eye and disappearing through the roof of the kitchen.  
  
"Bring some drinks, will ya?!" Kouga shouted when he came back to get his jacket by the door for something that Inu-yasha didn't know.  
  
"Sure!" Inu-yasha exclaimed opening the fridge again. He knew that something was going on in the ghost's mind, but he still smiled.  
  
***later***  
  
"I said we'll watch sports!" Kouga shouted, taking the remote control from Sango while all five of them were sitting on the same sofa. Inu-yasha was sitting on the armrest on the other side when Kouga was sitting on the other side. Miroku was happily sitting between the two girls on the sofa.  
  
"No way!" Sango shouted, taking the remote control just when Kouga had changed the channel.  
  
"Might there be something for my liking?" Miroku wondered, grabbing the remote control and jumping off the sofa before Sango could take it back.  
  
"I hope not" Kikyo said coldly while Sango ran after Miroku around the sofa. He tried to change the channels to find something for his liking.  
  
After a moment Sango had knocked Miroku down and together with Kikyo she watched some late soup opera and ate popcorn.  
  
Miroku got up after sometime and then looked over the backrest of the sofa at the TV. "You are so boring Inu-yasha, did you know that" he said and Inu- yasha who had been staring out of the window turned to his friend.  
  
"You have no magazines of girls, you have no girl posters on the walls, you have no cute sister and on top of that you have no sex-channel!" Miroku shouted at the top of his lungs and Kouga who was too near to him had to cover his ears.  
  
"Is there any sex-channel anyway?" Kouga asked when Miroku stopped shouting. You might think he sounded interested but he wasn't. He reached for the popcorn the girls had, but realized that he would need to fight for them.  
  
"I don't know if there is" Miroku said sighing. "But I would have believed that a rich family like Inu-yasha's would have one."  
  
"Hey!" Inu-yasha exclaimed, hitting Miroku. "We are not that rich. My father just got an old heirloom and with selling it he got enough money to move away from Tokyo and buy this house."  
  
Miroku muttered and silence fell on them again. The only sounds were Koishi's distant steps from the fourth floor and the friends chewing on the popcorn.  
  
Miroku sighed deeply, staring at the soap opera where some woman had found her future husband in bed with her best friend or something. That's boringly too common in soap operas.  
  
When he got bored with the silence he stood up and shouted again. "At least you should have a cute little sister and-"  
  
"Sorry for not being a cute little sister" Sesshomaru said, stepping into the living room.  
  
Miroku's eyes widened and he jumped over the backrest of the sofa jumping right into the bowl of popcorn. The girls gave many protests on that.  
  
"Sess!" Inu-yasha exclaimed, standing up. "I didn't hear you coming."  
  
"Of course not" Sesshomaru remarked, folding his hands and smirking at the program the girls were watching on. "I'm a ghost after all" he said while stepping by Inu-yasha.  
  
His words made Inu-yasha's heart beat hard. He didn't know why but somehow he feared that the rest of his friends would start to think he's crazy again and most of all he feared that Kouga had heard Sesshomaru's words.  
  
He turned to look at Kouga, but he lifted his other brow when seeing him.  
  
Even after fighting long with the girls about what to watch he was staring at the TV and the soap opera with a very interested expression just like the girls who hadn't noticed Sesshomaru at all, but Miroku, who sat on their food was too easy to notice.  
  
Sesshomaru stared at Inu-yasha's friends from beside the TV. Kikyo and Kouga didn't even seem to notice him while they stared at the soap opera and Sango was too relieved to notice him when Miroku jumped over the backrest again to hide from Sesshomaru.  
  
Thinking that the reason Miroku went behind the sofa again was her doing Sango proudly turned to watch at the TV again. Then she saw Sesshomaru and shouted, standing up on the sofa "What's that!?!?"  
  
Kikyo and Kouga were surprised almost to death when Sango jumped and shouted. Inu-yasha turned to look at his friends just in time to see Kouga fall on the floor at the other end and Kikyo fall nose first off the sofa her legs still on the sofa. Between the two surprised ones Sango was standing and pointing toward the TV.  
  
Sesshomaru turned the TV off with the on/off switch. "Is that anyway to greet me?" he asked in a casual voice.  
  
Sango stood there confused for a moment and then she blushed, sitting down on the coach again. "You have wonderful friends, you know, Inu" Sesshomaru said, turning to his brother who sighed when Kikyo and Kouga got on the sofa again. "One steals all the food, one points at you like at a monster and.I still have to find something from these two." He pointed at Kikyo who rubbed her nose and Kouga who was hitting Sango for scaring him to death.  
  
"Let it be, Sess!" Inu-yasha said, waving his hands. "At least I have good friends to hang with, unlike you." He would have wanted it to hit some sour spot or something, but no!  
  
Sesshomaru didn't care about his brother's words. True friendship was something he had only once had and it was with Koishi's sister, Kiken, who he hadn't seen in many years. Now he had some people from college, but he didn't really consider them as good friends. Word "friend" didn't even mean anything to him.  
  
At least that was what he told himself.  
  
Sesshomaru sighed and then glanced beside him where he saw Kikyo crawling to the TV so she could put the TV on again. She wasn't able to do that with the remote control this time. "What are you trying to do?" Sesshomaru asked leaning his hand on the TV and tapping his fingers on it.  
  
Kikyo stopped her finger just inches away from the on/off switch. She looked slowly up to meet Sesshomaru's unfeeling eyes. "Eheh" she swallowed when Sesshomaru's mouth turned into a smirk and he kicked her.  
  
"Hey!" Inu-yasha shout running to Sesshomaru standing on his toes before his brother. "Is that any way to treat a girl?!?" He pointed at him with his finger, but Sesshomaru only yawned.  
  
"Girl or boy." Sesshomaru said boringly. "Doesn't make any difference with me in any other but one matter."  
  
Inu-yasha's finger trembled while he tried to keep his anger. He hated it when Sesshomaru was always so calm and somehow always made him silent. "Just leave us alone, alright!" he said turning his face away and walking to Kikyo.  
  
"Maybe if you beg me" Sesshomaru said staring at his fingernails.  
  
At this moment Miroku dared to take a little peek over the backrest of the sofa. Kouga stared at him hard, not understanding why Miroku feared Inu- yasha's brother so much. Sango was more like excited about this. She was eating popcorn like she would be staring at a movie.  
  
"Beg?!" Inu-yasha shouted just when he was about to offer his hand, but Kikyo had to get up herself because the offered hand was taken away.  
  
The younger brother turned around. "Didn't come up with anything more horrible?" Inu-yasha asked, biting his teeth together. Sesshomaru grinned knowing well that it would take a lot more than this to get Inu-yasha beg or even kneel down before you.  
  
***elsewhere***  
  
Koishi yawned while coming down the stairs. Before he knew it Jaken was again hanging on his pants, but he was somewhat used to it so he didn't bother to pull the dog off. Otherwise he would have maybe spent time with Inu-yasha and his friends, but he was too tired on the moment. He had been sleeping for two hours but he woke up when he got hungry.  
  
He had decided to get some food so now he was on his way down. He heard some shouting from the lowest floor when he got to the second floor. He lifted his brows in wonder. What would make them shout so? He shrugged his shoulders and turned for the last stairs that would take him to the first floor.  
  
He stopped half way down when he saw Sesshomaru come out from the living- room, hands folded and Inu-yasha pushing him. Koishi stared at the brothers long.  
  
After a moment pushing Inu-yasha was satisfied with the distance between the living-room and his brother. Then he nodded and returned to his friends. Sesshomaru turned around and stared after his brother, hands folded.  
  
Neither one had noticed Koishi and silently he watched on when Sesshomaru decided to go back into the living-room. It didn't take long when Inu-yasha was pushing Sesshomaru out again.  
  
***a long moment later***  
  
"Did you have to give him all the drinks we had?" Kouga asked when they finally got rid of Sesshomaru who didn't leave before he got all their drinks.  
  
"He didn't take only the drinks" Sango said sniffing and holding her empty bowl. "He also took all the popcorn."  
  
"Not to mention the TV" Kikyo said folding her hands and nodding toward the place where the TV should've been.  
  
Inu-yasha listened to his friends. What a great start for an evening! "What should I have done?" he asked but all he got as an answer was glares from the three of his friends (Miroku was still hiding behind the sofa).  
  
"You shouldn't yield so easily, jerk!" Kouga said snarling. "I had paid for most of the popcorn!!"  
  
"Not to mention the drinks I paid for" Kikyo said gloomily.  
  
Inu-yasha smirked and didn't want to meat his friends eyes. "Well.I.uh..." He muttered trying to come up with something. "I'll pay you back! I promise! Someday."  
  
Kouga and Kikyo lifted their brows and glanced at each other. Sango was crying on the floor after her popcorn so she wasn't so overly concerned with burning Inu-yasha.  
  
"You better pay back before Christmas or I'll burn your hair!" Kikyo threatened.  
  
"I'll burn your clothes in front of the school" Kouga threatened.  
  
"I'll film you in the shower and send it for everyone to see through internet" Kikyo said making it better.  
  
Inu-yasha listened to his friends leaning heavily on the wall. They were fighting on which one of them could come up with a more horrible way to make Inu-yasha suffer. It wasn't fun, really, to listen to it.  
  
"I'll make you an eunuch!" Kikyo said folding her hands proudly.  
  
Kouga left his mouth open trying to say something worse, but come up with nothing. "Damn." he muttered under his breath in defeat.  
  
"I won, I won, I won!!!" Kikyo shouted, jumping with happiness.  
  
***at night***  
  
Miroku opened his eyes. They had soon after Sesshomaru had taken all their fun gone to sleep. They were all sleeping in the living-room. Kikyo was on the sofa, Sango beside the sofa when Kouga, who preferred cold, was sleeping under the window.  
  
Miroku himself was sleeping in the furthest corner because the girls wouldn't let him come near and Kouga's place was just too cold. The window was open anyway! He sighed lifting his head. "Hey, Inu-yasha" he whispered turning around pushing on the cover beside him.  
  
"huh" He lifted his head and looked at the bundle. Inu-yasha wasn't there anymore even though he had decided to sleep with them in the living room. He stood up on his elbows and looked around. The white-haired guy was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Suddenly he heard whispering from somewhere outside the big room. He listened for a moment but then stood up deciding to go check on the whisper. He walked to the door seeing light in the kitchen. It was candle light because it was wavering.  
  
He walked toward the kitchen very carefully fearing that he would find Sesshomaru there. He wished he wouldn't.  
  
He sighed a big sigh of relief when he got there. It was only Inu-yasha and the ghost. Ghost was staring at the candle fire when Inu-yasha was turning the channels of a small radio. The voice of the radio was very low.  
  
Miroku got the feeling like he would be interfering with something very romantic, but then the two of them noticed him. First they feared that it was someone else, but when they saw it was Miroku they relaxed.  
  
"Hi" Kagome whispered waving her hand shyly to Miroku. Inu-yasha smiled and pointed to a chair for him to sit. Miroku sat down and listened to the radio. He didn't know what Inu-yasha was looking for.  
  
"Do you like this?" Inu-yasha asked Kagome silently when he found a channel with calm music. Kagome leaned closer and listened. Quickly she nodded and grinned.  
  
Miroku looked at her when she floated into the air above them and smiled. Inu-yasha leaned back in his chair smiling calmly. Miroku glanced at his friend and saw a strange sparkle in his eyes. A sparkle Kikyo would have happily seen in his eyes because of her, but no.It was because of this ghost; because of Kagome.  
  
"Come on, Inu-yasha" Kagome said with a whisper, pulling on Inu-yasha's hand. "Dance with me! Miroku can make sure no one sees!"  
  
Inu-yasha didn't first let her pull him but then he stood up and left a grinning Miroku to watch on while they were dancing. The boy with the pony- tail smiled and sighed. Maybe Inu-yasha couldn't tell, but Miroku could.  
  
The reason why Inu-yasha broke up with Kikyo was that.He had fallen in love with this ghost, Kagome.  
  
***outside***  
  
"I promise you it's fun!" Inu-yasha exclaimed, dragging Kagome along him to the natural ice where they had been earlier on the day. Miroku was running after the two of them carrying his skates.  
  
They had left the mansion with out a warning to the others, but maybe they wouldn't even notice their disappearance while they were sleeping. Miroku breathed in the fresh cold air when they got to the ice.  
  
There was no one and no light beside it. It was dark but their eyes were already used with the dark so they saw well enough. If there would be problems anyway Miroku and Inu-yasha, both, had flashlights in their pockets.  
  
Inu-yasha had his own and Sango's skates on his shoulder and he took them both down when they were at the ice. He took Sango's skates because he believed that Kagome could skate with them. The ghost had the skill to touch things when she wanted.  
  
Miroku took from inside his jacket two thermos bottles of hot coffee so he and Inu-yasha wouldn't get too cold. He placed them down on the snow hoping that the cold snow wouldn't affect them.  
  
After a moment all three of them were on skates. Kagome was balancing on Sango's skates using her ability to touch the skates. Inu-yasha was holding her hand when Miroku showed her what you could do with skates.  
  
Miroku was really good with it and he even could act like a circus clown. Inu-yasha could skate, yes, but his skating ability was enough for playing something like ice hockey. Miroku was a lot better and Kagome was very ecstatic by Miroku's show.  
  
After watching on Miroku the ghost got so excited that she was more than eager to try herself. She was jumping on her skates and then not realising it herself the skates started to glide from under her. Inu-yasha however grabbed her quickly before she would fall on the ground.  
  
Falling wouldn't hurt her he knew, but still he wanted to treat him like a living girl. Miroku came to them when Kagome got her balance again. He grabbed her hand when Inu-yasha took the other and so they did the same as to Sango earlier on the day. The guys were skating backwards when Kagome hung on to them.  
  
***not too far away***  
  
Sango had followed Inu-yasha and Miroku. What she had seen days ago at the school was bothering her and so she had decided to find out it that night. She hadn't noticed Inu-yasha when he stood up at night, but she did wake up when Miroku stood up. She had been waiting under her cover until she heard them leave the house.  
  
She had waited for a moment and then followed. She had also taken a short cut to the ice when realising that they were going there. She would, however, been there before them if she hadn't have slipped on the way.  
  
Now she was finally by the ice and what she saw made her gasp for air. She saw the ghost clearer than ever laughing with Miroku and Inu-yasha. She went on her belly staring at her friends and the ghost.  
  
She really had seen a ghost back then at school. Inu-yasha was never really crazy! There really was a ghost in the haunted mansion!!  
  
She carefully stood up, hoping that the three skating wouldn't notice her. They were having too much fun to notice her she believed anyway. She carefully tried to get down the snow wall that was around the ice. It was the snow that you need to get away from above the ice to skate.  
  
However she wasn't that careful it seemed because she suddenly slipped from the snow and fell on the ice on her side.  
  
Miroku, Inu-yasha and Kagome turned around quickly when they heard the noise. They saw Sango lying still on the ice. The three of them went to her quickly, Kagome forgetting everything about the skates when she didn't use her ability to touch.  
  
"Sango!" Miroku shout, lifting the girl head into his lap. He was the first one beside her and Inu-yasha came right after with Kagome. "Are you okay? Answer me!"  
  
Inu-yasha kneeled down beside the two of them and Kagome stayed a bit further away. "What's she doing here anyway" Inu-yasha muttered while he checked if she was breathing. She was, thank the gods!  
  
"Mmmm." Everyone stared at Sango hard when she moved her head slightly smirking in pain. Slowly she opened her eyes and the first one she saw was Inu-yasha's face. "Y-you.Really weren't crazy."  
  
"Shhh, Sango" Miroku said softly. "You shouldn't force yourself."  
  
Sango turned to look at the one holding her. Her eyes widened. "You hentai!!!" She slapped him and he lost his grip on her.  
  
Sango got up quickly to Inu-yasha's surprise. "She seemed to recover fast" he whispered to Kagome beside him.  
  
Poor Miroku was holding his sour cheek while he stood up. "Ow! That really hurts and here I was all worried about you!" he shouted at her.  
  
"Well.I do have a terrible headache, but do you think I'll let you keep me on your lap, huh?!" she shouted putting her hands on her hips.  
  
Inu-yasha and Kagome looked at each other. "I think coffee would be good just about now" he said and Kagome nodded even though she couldn't drink. They went where their bottles were hearing Sango and Miroku fighting.  
  
"It seems she knows you as well, huh?" Inu-yasha asked from the ghost when he had a nice cup of coffee in his hands.  
  
"Well.She did see me when I was at your school" Kagome said shyly.  
  
"What? And you didn't tell me!" Inu-yasha shouted, but not out of anger.  
  
"Well.I thought it wasn't important" she muttered silently. She was like a child who had done something very wrong.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed. He stared at her. Suddenly he got this strange feeling.He put his arms around her and brought her beside him. "I shouldn't have shouted at you" he whispered pressing his warm cheek on her cold head. She wasn't cold to him though. To him she was warm. Warmer than anyone, because she warmed her heart and soul.  
  
Sango stepped closer to Miroku, shouting and suddenly her legs went from under her. She was just about to fall again when Miroku caught her in mid- air. She looked up at him and met his dark eyes.  
  
She had been shouting at him. She had been angry at him, but suddenly she felt like there was no more negative feelings. She got up on her own feet. Miroku kept his cheerful expression that somehow lightened everyone up.  
  
Before she knew what she was doing she was already hugging him with all her heart. Miroku was first surprised but then he smiled. It seemed that all the anger in her was finally gone and she finally could forgive him.  
  
Inu-yasha got a very uncomfortable feeling holding Kagome so close to him and seeing Miroku and Sango hugging and then kissing. All the white-haired guy could think of was the kiss he had given Kagome the night he was drunk.  
  
Kagome was still red. She was very surprised when Inu-yasha had taken her this close, but she was also very happy about it. She looked up at him and saw him blushing. She smiled and leaned on him.  
  
***in distance***  
  
Behind a little shed that was beside the ice for the workers who would keep the ice clean was standing a girl in the shadows. She had short black hair and she really was the same girl from before. The girl who had been helped up by Kouga.  
  
She was staring at the ones by the ice, but she couldn't understand why Inu- yasha was acting so strangely. Well.It was nothing to worry about! All she had to do was to inform the boss that.  
  
"There is no reason for you to stay here" she heard a voice from behind her. She turned around and saw another taller woman.  
  
"Aliz" she hissed when Aliz whose leg was finally in a lot better shape walked toward her.  
  
"Yes, me" Aliz said smiling wickedly. From her walking this time you could see that she was drunk like always, but the other girl noticed that Aliz's hand was on a sword that was hanging on her waist.  
  
"Leave him alone" Aliz said stopping right before the girl.  
  
"You don't know where you've gotten yourself" the other girl hissed.  
  
"I hope you enlighten, Yura" Aliz said and saw the other girl hiss after hearing her own name. "Leave the boy alone and tell that to your boss as well."  
  
Yura hissed, but decided to leave it for now when he saw another and a lot taller figure walk toward them. She knew well that this other one was Chaz, Aliz's older brother.  
  
"Keep away from our business so you might survive, unlike your brother" Yura warned and then she was gone.  
  
Aliz sighed and shook her head when Chaz came to her. "I hate this when innocent people get into this mess" she whispered glancing at the ones by the ice. Then she turned away to leave.  
  
Chaz sighed and followed as well.  
  
A/N: I'm very sorry to keep you waiting for this long, but I have been very busy with school. Literally school is killing me. Yesterday however I had some free time and I wrote this chapter that''s longer than any chapter before.  
  
First it was ment to be two chapters mening that the night when they took the ghost to skate was ment to be 22th chapter, but I made it one long chapter for you.  
  
I don't know when I can write again. It can be that it will take many weeks and that I have time first on next year cause Christmas is very busy when there is also my birthday and then I have school and lots of other stuff.  
  
Still. I'm not forgetting this story and I somtimes update some information on the main page of my account (or whatever you call it). There I inform you what I'm doing with the stories.  
  
Anyhow. I know the previous chapter was very confusing and the dreams have not yet atleast any big meaning. I kinda wanted to bring the real Inu-yasha in the picture, but I would say that those dreams are just ment to be confusing to Inu-yasha.  
  
I still have an idea what they might mean but don't know will I use it.  
  
This story near it's end. The Christmas is next and then comes a very busy new years. Then is also coming Sesshomaru's big part and then more about the attackers as well Koishi will find out the truth.  
  
I know exactly how this story ends but when it do don't worry. I have a sequel for it ~_^  
  
Now I ask only patience for the next chapter and I hope I won't lose all my readers for this.  
  
See ya! 


	22. Demon found!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 22 Demon found!  
  
Inu-yasha's mother walked into the snow covered yard of her home. She had heavy bags in both of her hands. She had been in a market right after job. She would have been earlier at home to make food to her sons if he wouldn't have needed to be so late at work. It was already getting dark and the lights in the yard got on.  
  
She sighed when she paused for a moment at half way to the house. They had one car, but her husband had it with him now somewhere in Tokyo. She wasn't overly happy of it 'cause he would come back just day before Christmas. It was every year same thing and more than ones her husband had been away from home whole Christmas.  
  
She wiped her forehead and looked around at the snowy yard. How she waited for spring so that she could see how this garden actually looked like. Suddenly her eyes stuck on a snowman beside a snow covered apple tree.  
  
She wondered on the snowman. Who might have done it? There was no way that Sesshomaru would have done it and Inu-yasha hasn't made any snowmen since he was thirteen.  
  
She left her bags behind when walking toward the snowman. The snowman had a carrot as a nose and a potato was split in two to make eyes. The mouth was made of little stones and it had a blue hat on it. As hands were two little sticks and on the end of the sticks were gloves. Around the neck of the snowman was a red scarf that seemed to be the one she had made to Inu-yasha when he was young.  
  
She didn't understand. Her Inu-yasha who grew up so fast and hanged out with some vague gangs back in Tokyo couldn't simply do any snowmen, right? Sesshomaru had always been a wicked person even when he was a child and something like to do Snowmen was hard to imagine from him.  
  
She looked closer at the snowman and noticed that there was two different kind of hand prints on it. Most of the hand prints were made by hand with gloves but she also noticed something else. Someone had built the snowman with bare hands! It seemed that there was at least two who had been building this.  
  
Wondering she turned around to retrieve her bags. When she walked toward the house again she glanced many time behind her at the snowman. Shaking her head she opened the main door of her house.  
  
***in the kitchen***  
  
"You mother is coming in" Kagome said quickly to Inu-yasha who just stuck some ramen into his mouth. She was sitting by the window and she had seen Inu-yasha's mother to stare at the snowman. However she said nothing of that to him.  
  
"She is?" Inu-yasha asked his mouth full of ramen when he quickly stood up. He heard the key to turn in the lock when he quickly picked up all the stuff from the table so that his mother wouldn't see how unclean he was when making food.  
  
Kagome stared at Inu-yasha for a moment. "I better go" she said silently and started to fade. "See you upstairs." Inu-yasha glanced up at the place where the ghost had just been floating a moment ago. She was gone and that was actually good 'cause his mother just came in with her heavy bags.  
  
"Do you need help?" he asked coming out from the kitchen to grab one of the bags.  
  
His mother who was still wondering on the snowman was even more surprised by Inu-yasha's helpful behaviour. She hadn't actually realised it earlier, but he had been acting a lot more helpful and nicer since they moved here.  
  
Inu-yasha carried the bags on the table in the kitchen. He didn't know that his mother was wondering on his behaviour. She walked into the kitchen when she had gotten all of her outside gear off. "Who made that snowman?" she asked when taking stuff from the bags to put them to their places. "Neither one of you has done snowmen since." She straightened her bag trying to remember how long it had been. ".since you was thirteen." Then she put the stuff in her hands to their places.  
  
Inu-yasha swallowed silently. "Sesshomaru have never done a snowman if I remember right" he said still avoiding to talk about the truth. The truth was that he had made it with Kagome just few hours ago.  
  
"I can't recall any time either" she said taking more stuff from the bags. "But who did it?" She looked at Inu-yasha giving that mother-smile she always gave.  
  
Inu-yasha looked out from the kitchen just when Jaken run to the kitchen. "I did it" he said like it was nothing. He stared at the dog that run to his mother.  
  
She like always had bought something to Jaken and when the dog came beside her she looked for the stuff he bought to Jaken.  
  
Sesshomaru came down seeing very proud Jaken to walk into the living room with a bone in his mouth. He sighed and shook his head. To see Jaken like that was a clear sign that Inu-yasha's mother had been in the market.  
  
"You did the snowman?!" Inu-yasha's mother exclaimed. "With whom?" she asked right after making Inu-yasha very comfortable. He didn't know would it wise to say that he made it alone, but in any case he couldn't tell about the ghost. "I hope you used gloves when doing it. One of the builders didn't use gloves at all."  
  
Inu-yasha swallowed just when Sesshomaru stepped into the kitchen. Sesshoamru noticed his brother's nervousness. He had seen earlier when Inu- yasha had been building the snowman with the ghost. Of course he couldn't see the ghost, thought, but he knew it was her there.  
  
"His friends, Miroku and Sango where here few hours ago" he said looking into the bags and was very happy to find his favourite juice. "This girl, Sango, was strange when she used no gloves when making the snowman."  
  
Inu-yasha stared at his brother with wide eyes. Sesshomaru had lied everything, but he didn't ignore the help he got and so he nodded to his mother his agreement. But still. He wondered why his brother had lied like that. He swallowed again. What if Sesshomaru had seen him out there building the snowman?!  
  
Inu-yasha's mother was satisfied with the answer she got and so she left the kitchen. "I'll go and change some lighter clothes on me" she told the brothers and then went upstairs.  
  
Inu-yasha looked after his mother a moment, but when she was out of his sight he turned to look at his brother. "Why.?" he asked Sesshoamru who found the rest of the ramen Inu-yasha had maid earlier.  
  
Sesshomaru was silent when taking the last of the ramen into a deep plate. Then he turned to look at his shorter brother with narrowed eyes. "You owe me one" was all he said when taking the ramen and his juice with him when he left the kitchen.  
  
Inu-yasha who was confused, stunned and surprised sat heavily on a chair by the table just when Kagome dared to come back into the kitchen. "Does he know?" he asked not turning to look at the ghost. He was staring out from the window just when it started snowing.  
  
Kagome was silent and looked down. She still hadn't told Inu-yasha that Sesshomaru knew. And she still didn't want to tell. She also didn't want to lie and so she silently left the kitchen again leaving Inu-yasha with out any answer.  
  
***second floor***  
  
Inu-yasha's mother opened her closet to look for a light T-shirt that wouldn't be so warm in this hot house. It was funny how a big house like this could be so warm during the winter. After looking for a moment she found a white T-short with a picture of a rose. She changed her light blouse into the T-shirt.  
  
Then she went to her and her husband's bed that was a big chaos. There were a lot of his clothes on the left side. You could find them from under the bed and from beside as well above. Her side wasn't so clean either but she didn't keep her dirty clothes everywhere.  
  
She kneeled down to pick up his clothes and then she put them into s wooden box that they had in the bedroom right beside the door. She should was the clothes in few days. There was too much of them!  
  
When she had done that she left the room. After closing the door she stretched and yawned. Her day at work had been hard. Usually now she would go down and relax before the TV, but this time she decided to relax another way.  
  
She walked across the corridor of her floor to another room. Just when she opened the door she heard a strange noise. She looked in. There was dark and you couldn't see a thing. She put the lights on to see clearer, but she saw nothing. Nothing. That would have made the noise.  
  
In the room were long bookcases all around the room. There were her and her husband's books. Under the window was a long desk and on it a candle.  
  
She went to the desk and lid up the candle. Then she shut off the lights and took the candle from the table. Then she walked before the bookcases in the room to look for a book that she could read to relax.  
  
Soon she found one and then returned to the desk. She sat down on a wooden chair that was by the desk. Taking a comfortable position she started to read the book in the comforting light of the small candle.  
  
Time passed and she heard how someone got down from the upper floors. She also heard Jaken barking and she could guess that it was Koishi leaving for work. Sometime later she heard someone else to come down, but she didn't know was it Inu-yasha or Sesshomaru. It didn't matter thought.  
  
She lifted her gaze from the book. She looked outside. It was snowing big snowflakes and in the yard was standing that snowman Inu-yasha had made with his friends. She sighed. She was happy that this place did good to her son and even Sesshomaru was a lot calmer person since they moved. This did good to them all.  
  
She heard something moving right beside her. She straightened her back and looked around in the dark room. She saw nothing and there was enough light in the room so that she could see the dark bookcases. She narrowed her eyes and then carefully turned for the window again.  
  
Her eyes widened suddenly when she stared at the window and saw trough it that the candle was moving on the desk. She stiffened and didn't turn her gaze away from the window. She could swear that she didn't only see it moving but also to be sweating.  
  
She screamed suddenly when the candle suddenly had a fluffy tail. She fell of the chair and stared at the candle on the table with the fluffy tail. She held on her chest when trying to catch her breath and calm he heart down.  
  
What was this?  
  
POP!!  
  
Like you wouldn't be surprised and scared enough the candle had to change its form into a orange haired kid with that fluffy tail.  
  
When seeing the kid with the tail Inu-yasha's mother didn't fear so much anymore. She carefully stood up to look at the boy on her desk.  
  
"Damn!" Shippo shrieked and smirked when she stared right at him. He was found! The Ghosty had told him that he shouldn't show up to the other people in the house. Well. He hadn't realised that Inu-yasha's mother would come to this room right when he was there looking for a good book.  
  
"Who are you, boy?" she asked gently smiling even gentler.  
  
Shippo swallowed. "Shippo" he said carefully fearing on the worst.  
  
"Shippo" she repeated. "That's a cute name to a boy with tail like this." She smiled very widely and that made Shippo wonder. She didn't seem to be bad and she didn't seem to be bothered by his strange appearance.  
  
Before he knew she had grabbed him into her arms and she was hugging the cute demon very tight. Shippo let her hug him and then stroke his tail. He felt comfortable in her arms. It was so much like his departed mother would be again holding him.  
  
Small tears started to form into his eyes when he remembered her mother and family long dead.  
  
***downstairs***  
  
Inu-yasha opened the fridge to get something to drink. He heard his mother to come down and go to the living room, but he didn't pay any more attention to her. He found orange juice and took it. Next he went for a glass.  
  
Koishi had left sometime ago and he hadn't seen Sesshomaru in a while. Jaken was maybe outside in the yard, thought the dog didn't really like of cold weather. Kagome was painting on the moment upstairs. He just came down for a drink.  
  
He filled a high glass with the juice and then left the kitchen after returning the juice to fridge. He heard her mother to put TV on, but that wasn't the only sound he heard. He heard his mother talking with someone else who definitely wasn't Sesshomaru or his dad.  
  
He walked to the doorway of living room. There he stopped when hearing giggling. Silently he continued forward in safe distance to see with whom his mother was. His eyes widened when seeing the irritating Shippo in his mother's arms.  
  
Together the two of them stared at the TV with out noticing him. They talked about the program in the TV. "Shippo!" Inu-yasha roared almost dropping his glass.  
  
His mom and Shippo quickly turned to look at him. Inu-yasha was red of anger and growling. Inu-yasha's mother got a bit worried when Shippo suddenly looked for cover behind her. "Inu-yasha!" she shout standing up. "Do not roar in my house!"  
  
Inu-yasha backed a step. Why was his mom shouting like that? "But that brat." he tried to say but his mother stopped him.  
  
"Shippo is a nice kid, Inu-yasha" she said with strict voice. "I have heard from him that you don't really like him. It doesn't matter 'cause he's welcome to live in this house."  
  
"But mom." Inu-yasha tried, but from the way his mother turned for the TV again he knew there was nothing he could say. He sighed and turned to leave just when he saw Shippo to show his tongue to him. That made Inu-yasha boil. "You brat!!" he shout and attacked at him.  
  
"Inu-yasha!!" his mother shout.  
  
***fourth floor***  
  
Inu-yasha held on his sore head when he got up. In other hand he still had the juice that somehow hadn't spilled. His mother had gotten very angry with him. Usually she was very calm, but now she took a deadly grip of his hair to stop him. Actually there wasn't any unpainful ways to stop Inu- yasha.  
  
He saw trough the open door to the last room that Kagome was still painting. He decided that it was now time for him to be alone for a moment. He went to his office and took a chair beside the window. He sat down staring out at snowy world around them. To see the snow calmed him a bit.  
  
He sighed and took some of the juice. He looked out again and was about to take a sip again when his eyes suddenly widened. He saw Sesshomaru in the yard with protesting Jaken. The dog really did hate cold, but that wasn't what surprised Inu-yasha.  
  
Sesshomaru was walking in the yard to one direction and then to another holding a hot cup of coffee in his hand. He didn't know of his staring brother in the fourth floor when he made the yard look like there really had been Sango and Miroku with Inu-yasha making the snowman.  
  
He stopped before the snowman sighing deep. Why was he doing this? He didn't know. He didn't know why he lied for his brother so. Was he getting soft? He looked up at the sky and let the snowflakes fall on his face.  
  
Inu-yasha just stared at his brother. Sesshomaru had lied for him and now he was making it look like there would have been more than only him. What had gotten into his wicked brother?  
  
A/N: Well. This chapter didn't have any exact meaning. I just kinda wanted to show before the Christmas that Sesshomaru too was changing. The next chapter is about Christmas and finding the way to free the ghost. There will also be more Sesshomaru stuff in the next chapter. His big role in this story is getting closer.  
  
After Christmas the mysterious group of attackers comes more into the picture and Koishi gets himself into trouble. There might also come up more stuff about Aliz and Chaz's past. Oh well. We'll see. However I hope you joined this chapter.  
  
Of course I can send an email when I have updated, but I need to know your address to do that. Put it into your review or send it to me privately.  
  
Also. Check out the cover I have made for Tear of a Ghost!  
  
I would have uploaded this chapter already before Christmas, but my 'rereader' (or what ever you call it) was busy and after Christmas I was busy too cause of my birthday. Now I'm 18.  
  
Now there happened to come up another problem. My rerieder's computer broke so she isn't able to edit my chapter for a while.  
  
Life is cruel..  
  
Anyway. The next chapter is not yet finished but it's meant to be the Christmas chapter. A bit late you can think, but Christmas has an important part in this story ^_^  
  
I won't promise anything when the next chapter would come up, but soon I hope.  
  
That's for now I think.  
  
See ya! 


	23. Merry Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
Chapter 23 Merry Christmas  
  
Kagome floated down trough the floors to the lowest floor. There she met Inu-yasha's mother back toward her. Her eyes widened and quickly she went to living room. Inu-yasha's mother had the first day off from work before Christmas. Now she had brought all the Christmas stuff out from the closets.  
  
Now when being in the living room Kagome looked around at all the Christmas stuff. She had never seen anything like this. So much Christmas stuff! On the TV was a white angel and before the window were four candles. On the sofa was usually brown pillows, but now there was red ones. There were two bookcases on both sides of the TV and they were full of all kind of Christmas decoration.  
  
The ghost was really amazed by all this. Suddenly she heard her friend Shippo to say something. She went to the doorway of the room and saw Inu- yasha's mom to lift the small kitsune up so that he could place the decorations needed. She smiled.  
  
Inu-yasha had left early in the morning to meet his friends. She couldn't go with him, thought, cause also Kouga and Kikyo was going to be there. She sighed and turned to look at the candles before the window.  
  
"Why must you do this on every Christmas?!" Sesshomaru demanded when getting down with barking Jaken.  
  
Inu-yasha's mother smiled to him. "Christmas is a happy season and we need happy colors in this grey house" she said giving the same answer as she did every year.  
  
When Sesshomaru had been younger he had demanded a lot more clearer answer, but now days he just let it be like this. He looked at the decorations she had. "You are not going to put those!!" he shout pointing on the decorations in a yellow box beside her feet.  
  
"Why not?" she asked lifting up a decoration that was meant to be a lamb, but it looked more like a snowball. "They are so cute." She smiled widely even thought Sesshomaru almost growled. She didn't need to fear him cause even thought he was wicked he didn't want to hurt her.  
  
"You can put all you want of the decorations Inu-yasha have made, but none of mine!" He growled taking the supposed-lamb. "This should already be in the garbage!" he said growling at the supposed-lamb.  
  
Kagome dared to look at them from the living room then. She stared at Sesshomaru who growled at the decoration. She was however surprised when his expression softened and turned into a bit sad one.  
  
She hid herself again when he walked into the living room with the decoration. He sat down on the sofa staring at the decoration. Inu-yasha's mother and Shippo were left behind wondering, but soon they continued on their work.  
  
"This should be in the garbage" he muttered under his breath and threw the decoration on the floor. Jaken wasn't there so the dog didn't attack on the supposed-lamb hoping it to be food. The dog was around Shippo on the moment.  
  
Kagome carefully went to the decoration when Sesshomaru hid his face into his hands. She lifted the supposed-lamb into her hands. She looked at it not really understanding what made Sesshomaru act so. She turned it ones, twice until she noticed writing.  
  
"Merry Christmas, mom! From Sesshomaru."  
  
Kagome lifted her gaze from the ornament. If she had understood everything Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru had only same father. What had happened to Sesshomaru's mom?  
  
She floated toward him letting the ornament to fall on his lap. He lifted his gaze and saw the supposed-lamb. He sighed and looked up where he thought Kagome was. And she was there. "Everyone has their secrets" he said silently to the ghost knowing that she heard. He stood up and left the decoration on the sofa.  
  
***on the evening***  
  
Inu-yasha hadn't come back yet when Kagome followed Sesshomaru to the forbidden floor where she had found the key to her room with Inu-yasha. She followed Sesshomaru who well knew she was there.  
  
Sesshomaru was holding one candle in his hand. Inu-yasha's mother was Christmas shopping so he had good time to do this. What he actually was looking for was concerning the ghost. He wanted to find glues to free her.  
  
Ghost was roaming in the mortal world only if something was still bothering them even in death. He wasn't sure could Kagome even remember of the time when she lived very much, but he actually couldn't really talk with her.  
  
He went carefully forward in the dusty place looking around for anything. He kneeled down to see and fabric on the rotten floor. It was full of flowers decorations. The colors of it were still bright, but considering the place where it had been, it was possible. There didn't get any sunlight here anyway.  
  
Kagome looked around not knowing what he was looking for. She went to the same chest she had checked out back when she had been down here with Inu- yasha. She sighed and sat on the chest.  
  
Sesshomaru kicked on some dusty clothes he found. Then he saw the hole Inu- yasha had made earlier. However he didn't know of that.  
  
Suddenly he saw the light of the candle catch on something in the hole. He went closer and saw something small and shining. He reached with his hand to the hole and into some soft soil. He didn't know how it was there and how it was so warm but he didn't wonder it more when he grabbed on the shining item.  
  
He brought it up before his eyes and opened his hand. It was a small box - golden one. It had beautiful decoration and some red coloring that was faint over the years.  
  
Kagome noticed that Sesshomaru had found something. She went to him and her eyes widened when she saw the little box in his hand.  
  
Sesshomaru's eyes widened when he suddenly saw someone standing beside him. He looked up fearing that Inu-yasha's mother had come back and that she would soon shout at him, but that wouldn't have surprised him as much what he really saw.  
  
She saw a transparent young girl standing there with wide eyes staring at the box in his hand. "Kagome." he whispered not believing it. He was seeing the ghost after so long. Why now?  
  
He stood up staring at Kagome and his movement woke Kagome from her day dreaming. She shook her head slightly and then glanced at Sesshomaru. First she didn't understand why was he staring at her like that.  
  
They both stared each other with out saying a word until they heard something from the upper floor. They both gasped fearing that someone came home. It didn't matter was it Inu-yasha or his mother, but either one might mean trouble.  
  
***first floor***  
  
Koishi took his shoes off when he heard some noise from the door taking to the lowest floor that was forbidden by Inu-yasha's parents. He saw Sesshomaru to come out with a candle. He also couldn't miss the relieved sigh Sesshomaru made when seeing him. Well, he feared that his father or Inu-yasha's mother was coming.  
  
"I saw nothing" Koishi said when turning for the kitchen.  
  
Sesshomaru sighed another time of relief. Koishi made clear that Inu- yasha's parents won't hear anything from him. That made Sesshomaru lot calmer, thought he was still bothered.  
  
He lifted his other hand slightly to look at the box he had found. This ghost, who had told her name ones when writing it on a paper, seemed to recognize this box, but that wasn't the main thing in his mind now.  
  
He saw the ghost! Why couldn't he earlier see him? Why couldn't he but Inu- yasha could? Why now?  
  
Sesshomaru placed the candle on a table that was near the door down to the cellar. Then he walked into the kitchen where Koishi was getting some food ready. "What were you looking for?" Koishi asked not turning for Inu- yasha's wicked brother.  
  
"None of your business" Sesshomaru said bluntly.  
  
"Not then" Koishi agreed and willed a bowl with warm soup. Koishi was the only one beside Inu-yasha's mother who didn't eat ramen always when he got a possibility. He sat down by the table opposite from Sesshomaru. "Where is Inu-yasha?"  
  
"With his friends" Sesshomaru said when turning for the window. "Or at least he was."  
  
Koishi looked up out of the window when he saw Inu-yasha walking in the snowy garden. Soon both of them heard how the door opened and whistling Inu- yasha stepped in. The two in the kitchen who were both moodier than Inu- yasha from personality sighed.  
  
Inu-yasha walked to the kitchen and quickly checked on what Koishi had cooked. "No ramen?!" he exclaimed when straightening his back.  
  
"Everyone isn't so dependent on ramen" Koishi answered simply when sipping on his soup. Sesshomaru who was lost in his thoughts just stared out of the window.  
  
Back down there in the cellar he saw the ghost. He saw the girl of the painting he had found days ago. Why couldn't he see her before? He turned to look at the two other at the other side of the table.  
  
Inu-yasha was so hungry and lazy on the moment that he didn't care what he was gonna eat and so he was trying to get Koishi's bowl with little effort when Koishi pulled hard back. However, Sesshomaru's eyes didn't see this when he only saw the ghost before his eyes.  
  
***dining room***  
  
Days went by and so came the Christmas Eve (December 24). Everyone that lived in the haunted mansion was sitting around a huge table. Inu-yasha's father sat at one end of the table when on his other side was sitting his wife and on other side Sesshomaru. Inu-yasha sat beside his mother and Koishi was in front of him on the other side. Shippo that was now like a member of the family was sitting on the table beside Koishi and Inu-yasha.  
  
Their eating was silent if we don't count Shippo's exited exclaims when he found more and more tasty food from the table. The little kitsune jumped over the bowls of food to the other and then back to his place on the table more than often.  
  
Inu-yasha who didn't really 'love' this little demon was getting annoyed and Koishi noticed this.  
  
"Ow!" Inu-yasha exclaimed getting everyone's attention. "What was the big idea?!" he shout at Koishi standing up.  
  
"Inu-yasha! Sit down!" his father ordered and so he sat down. Inu-yasha grumbled something when hissing touched his sour leg. Koishi had kicked him and hard right under his knee. He knew well why. His friend had noticed his fists to tighten up ready to hit the kitsune.  
  
What however made him growl slightly was the way Koishi acted like he had done nothing. Even when he was shouting his friends only ate calmly his food.  
  
"This is too silent to be Christmas" Sesshomaru said with calm voice when eating.  
  
Inu-yasha's mother lifted her head to look at Sesshomaru. "Well. Everyone is in Tokyo. What can we do?"  
  
"We could have gone there for Christmas" Sesshomaru answered matter of factly when laying down his fork.  
  
"Don't you think that we should spend the first Christmas in the new house after moving in?" Inu-yasha's mother asked trying to be calm but somehow she didn't always know what to do with Sesshomaru.  
  
"We shouldn't have moved in the first place!" Sesshomaru shout now standing up.  
  
There was a long comfortable silence. Or at least almost cause Shippo didn't pay attention when getting more food. Inu-yasha's father calmly ate all in his mouth before slowly standing up to get the other's attention.  
  
"Do not shout at your mother in the Christmas table!" he ordered his older son, but this time he saw in Sesshomaru's eyes that it had no effect.  
  
"She's not my mother!" Sesshomaru growled the truth that had been bothering him since this woman before him first stepped into his sights as a step mother.  
  
Inu-yasha stared at his brother waiting for a big fight, but it seemed that Sesshomaru decided to leave the place this time. Inu-yasha knew that Christmas had always been painful time to Sesshomaru, but he never had learned why.  
  
He knew nothing of his brother's mother. All he knew was how she looked like cause of a picture Sesshomaru had. He didn't know was she dead or alive. But in the end he didn't know did he want to find out the truth.  
  
If the truth could make Sesshomaru hate Christmas this much it had to be something terrible. At least that was what he thinks.  
  
Back in Tokyo Sesshomaru was never at home during Christmas. When Inu- yasha's grandparents and cousins came for dinner Sesshomaru was elsewhere and no one knew where. Now when they weren't living in Tokyo it seemed like something made Sesshomaru stay around, but what, he didn't know.  
  
***later in living room***  
  
Everyone living in the house where in the living room where in one corner was a Christmas tree that Koishi and Inu-yasha had earlier bought. Inu- yasha's mother had decorated it with all kind of colourful stuff and Sesshomaru had made sure that none of decorations he had done when young would be hanging in the tree.  
  
Koishi and Inu-yasha sat beside the Christmas tree looking at the presents under it. Sesshomaru was sitting beside the window eating nuts when Inu- yasha's parents were sitting with Shippo on the sofa.  
  
Inu-yasha felt how the air there was heavy. His family was so unusually silent. Maybe it was cause there was so little of them, but. He felt uncomfortable.  
  
He lifted his gaze up at Sesshomaru who was almost behind him when Koishi reached for a huge present under the tree. Sesshomaru was sipping on coffee like always, but you could see from his unusually tight expression that he was forcing himself to stay in the same room with the others.  
  
"Stop that stupid dog!!!" Inu-yasha turned quickly around to see Koishi trying to pull a smaller present from the wicked dog's mouth. Jaken hadn't been around during eating, but now he was free to move again.  
  
The dog was always around and somewhat part of Christmas unlike Sesshomaru who was, like said, never home during this time. Inu-yasha laughed when neither the dog nor his friend let free and the paper was ripped and the insides of the present flew around the room.  
  
It was full of chocolate and when Jaken realized that nothing could stop him when chocolate flew on the floor. Koishi growled and quickly went after. That present had been his!  
  
Inu-yasha lifted the paper that the two of them left behind. There was a card where he could read that it was from Sango. Sango had made presents to all of them. Even to his wicked brother.  
  
Suddenly Inu-yasha stood up. "I'll come right back" he said before leaving the room for upstairs.  
  
***fourth floor***  
  
"Kagome?" Inu-yasha said silently when finally reaching his floor. "Kagome?" He opened the door to his bed room, but she wasn't there. Sighing he went to the other end of the small corridor and opened the door to her room. "Kagome?"  
  
He didn't see her there. He sighed again. Was the ghost silently in a small corner? She was lonely he knew, but he simply couldn't invite her down there with them.  
  
"What is it?" He jumped high in the air when he heard that simple question he turned quickly around to see Kagome tilting her head in wonder.  
  
"I. uh." Inu-yasha tried to say when scratching his neck, but all his words escaped. He was kinda sorry for leaving her alone. "I. just wanted to know. Are you okay?"  
  
Kagome tilted her head to the other side and smiled sweetly. "Of course I'm okay, worry-head!" she exclaimed. However she hid the truth. There was something bothering her and she knew she had to talk with Sesshomaru about that. Inu-yasha's brother. He could see her.  
  
"I'm sorry, you can't spend a Christmas with us." Inu-yasha whispered wrapping his arms around her. She felt his warm body against her cool one and sighed.  
  
"I still got a present to you" Inu-yasha whispered in her ear and she eagerly jumped out from his hug and waited with wide curious eyes.  
  
"Present?! For me?!" Inu-yasha smiled seeing her so happy. He opened the door to his bedroom and there on a table was a red present with a star in the middle where read Kagome.  
  
The ghost clapped her hands together and with out another thought floated to the present shaking it to find out what there was.  
  
Inu-yasha leaned on the doorway smiling. He loved the way Kagome got childish like this when curious and exited. He loved her beautiful black despite the fact she was transparent. He loved her gentle and warm heart. Damn it! He loved everything in her!!  
  
"Open it" he said when Kagome was almost blowing up of curiosity. Kagome hesitated and glanced at Inu-yasha but he nodded.  
  
It didn't take long before all the red paper was all around the room and the star flew before his feet. She held in her hand a wooden box. She opened it and she found many different color bottles.  
  
"I figured you needed more when all of those you had was empty" Inu-yasha said. He had wanted to give something more dear to her, but anything she could wear would be trouble when she went trough the walls and what did a ghost actually need. However this ghost painted and so these paints would be useful.  
  
Before he even knew she was right before him wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you Inu-yasha!!" she exclaimed and made him happy when hearing that.  
  
After that Inu-yasha smiled the whole evening. Koishi had asked him what made him smile but he just said it was nothing. Sesshomaru however could guess easily who the one was making his brother smile.  
  
Much later on the evening the presents were opened and everyone was investigating on their presents. Inu-yasha's mother had dressed herself into a light dress she had gotten from her husband and now he was dancing around the living room showing it to him.  
  
Koishi was happy to get some manga all the way from America from his sister, Kiken. He wasn't the only one who got gifts so far away. Sesshomaru got an interesting book having many freaky ghost stories when Inu-yasha got a present that exploded into his hands and gave him a black face.  
  
The chocolate Sango had given to everyone had been eaten happily, thought, Koishi had to fight with Jaken over it. Inu-yasha got a nice short from Kikyo and from Miroku. He got a playboy that he quickly hid under all the paper on the floor.  
  
He had blushed furiously when he realized his father had noticed the magazine. Koishi had laughed a long moment back then and Inu-yasha's mother insisted to know what it was about. Inu-yasha's father played dump back then.  
  
Sesshomaru was surprised to get a gift from Miroku and when he opened it all he could see was a lot of ramen in a box. Christmas was a time of forgiveness. Sesshomaru somehow didn't really think it that way.  
  
Jaken was happy if no one else was cause he got a big bone from the whole family and the whole evening he was trying to find a good place to hide it, but Sesshomaru hadn't let him out.  
  
We of course can't forget Shippo who got a fox-dress from Inu-yasha's mother with a hole for his tail. Inu-yasha had laughed at that and the little kitsune got red of anger, but Koishi cooled him of with some water.  
  
The Christmas day was a happy one in Inu-yasha's family even thought it was strange when Sesshomaru was there and he wasn't in the mood at all.  
  
When it was getting silent and Inu-yasha's parents had fallen asleep on the sofa when Inu-yasha and Koishi were playing with Koishi's new cards in the kitchen, Kagome came down to the living room.  
  
She noticed Shippo sleeping in Inu-yasha's mother's arms who was then in the father's arms. She heard Koishi and Inu-yasha from the kitchen and in a corner she heard Jaken who was dreaming and seemingly running after something in his dream - or running away.  
  
Then she noticed Sesshomaru still sitting by the window. She floated silently nearer and heard how calm his breathing was. That told her that he was sleeping. She dared to come nearer.  
  
She looked at his calm face. Sesshomaru was truly cute when sleeping and not having that wicked expression on his face. Kagome hoped she would someday see his smile. That however sounded like an impossible dream.  
  
She sighed and glanced outside. Suddenly she heard him moving and when she turned to look at her he met his opened eyes.  
  
She was surprised but it passed quickly and she gave a smile to him. Sesshomaru brought back his usual expression that wasn't that cute one when he was sleeping soundly. It was that one you could almost call wicked.  
  
"Merry Christmas" Kagome whispered with a smile. She was surprised by what her word did to Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru's wicked expression changed into a surprised one quickly and it didn't change into the usual one at all. It changed into a calm and some what unemotional. "Merry Christmas."  
  
Kagome's smile widened a lot when he said that and then turned to look at the window. He didn't know why said that, but somewhat it felt like this girl. Was smelting his heart.  
  
***Inu-yasha's bedroom***  
  
Inu-yasha was placing his yesterday's Christmas presents to their places silently being happy when Shippo wasn't hanging around him at all. Still, just to brake his cheerful morning his room's door had to open up and Sesshomaru had to walk in.  
  
"What now?" Inu-yasha asked turning around to look at his brother, but when he did that his eyes widened of surprise when he saw Kagome floating beside a lot taller Sesshomaru.  
  
"Wha.?" he asked before thinking.  
  
"We know how the ghost can be freed" Sesshomaru announced calmly making Inu- yasha's heart beat faster.  
  
What was this? He thought Sesshomaru couldn't see Kagome! He thought Sesshomaru didn't even believe!  
  
"How.?" Inu-yasha asked coming up with nothing else.  
  
Sesshomaru sighed and stepped into the room. He closed silently the door behind him. It was better that Koishi wouldn't came here even by accident. He knew Koishi was best to keep out of this.  
  
"How many know of her?" the older brother asked when Inu-yasha was still staring at him with wide and surprised eyes.  
  
"I.Ah. Miroku. And Sango." Inu-yasha said almost muttering when shaking his head.  
  
"Shippo" Kagome said drawing attention from the brothers. "Inu-yasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Sesshomaru."  
  
That cleared Inu-yasha's thoughts. He needed to hear it to make it sure. "So you know" he said turning for Sesshomaru. "But you couldn't even see her. How?"  
  
Sesshomaru sighed and wrapped his arms. "Is that time for this?!" Sesshomaru asked almost angry.  
  
He sighed glancing at Kagome who sat on Inu-yasha's bed when Inu-yasha was on the floor. "Ghosts are spirits that have some unfinished business in the world of mortals. We have found that something that will bring eternal peace to Kagome."  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes widened from before. If he understood right, this meant that Kagome would leave. The ghost he had learned to care for would leave for ever. He didn't want that and he knew he was selfish in this.  
  
"However" Sesshomaru continued. "It won't be so easy."  
  
A/N: You all might wonder why they opened the Christmas presents on the same evening and not on the next morning. That is cause here in Finland that is the way. I know the way that is used at least in USA, but I wanted to write it like we do in Finland, thought with out Santa Claus.  
  
You see in Finland into families where there is young children the parents might call for a Santa Claus to come to them and "bring" all the presents. That's how my Christmas were when I was little. I never even realized than in the truth my Santa Claus was someone I knew.  
  
Usually when Santa Claus have left and the presents are given to those to whom they belonged everyone opened their own presents. However. I don't know if they do it a little differently in other families but we did like this.  
  
Now days we just have to wait for everyone to drink their coffees before we can even touch the presents under the Christmas tree.  
  
And now when I have told this much about Finnish Christmas I must add these two facts. Santa Claus doesn't live in North Pole but in Finland in Korvatunturi (I have noticed that some people might know this, but I'm not hear to fight so even thought you might be against this I accept you opinion). Second is that Nokia is a Finnish company and not Japanese or American. This is a true fact unlike the Santa Claus thing.  
  
Well. I would have so much else to say here about this stuff but I'm not going to make you bored cause of this.  
  
Then some replies to some reviewers.  
  
Kagome1514: I'll read at least one of your stories when I get the time for that. My inspiration and motivation is lacking on the moment so I have troubles with school and to get myself to do anything useful.  
  
Karen: About making it more exiting. I'm trying to make it more exiting when we get closer to the end. The sequel will have a lot more of stuff in it and I try to make it in some ways a little scarier. However. I'm a person who likes to read and write about peoples relationships and that is why I usually get into them more than in anything else.  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: That was just what I was trying to do with Kikyo. I neither like her, but I don't want to make her a bitch or something. I like to see her as well Kouga (who I neither like so much) as normal persons than anything else. (but don't worry. if someone do differently it doesn't stop me from reading)  
  
Foltina: I have been reading your story, like you know, but I have been busy lately so I'll read more when I get time, okay?  
  
Inuyasha-fan7: You know. I'm not gonna tell you XP It would be no fun.  
  
I must mention Hanyo punk chick and Sweetdeath here cause they were the last ones of those I hadn't mention and that had reviewed after I put the 22 chapter.  
  
This doesn't mean that I wouldn't be grateful to you who have reviewed before. I'm very happy to get your reviews and very thank full for them, but I just decided to start thanking the reviewers if I have time and I decided that I won't go trough all of them. However. No one's review is any lesser!!  
  
You help me whit my inspiration even with one word in the review cause that tells me that someone is reading.  
  
Why I decided to start doing this now? Cause my sister who's also a writer hear was so happy to find out that she was mentioned by a writer in a chapter cause of her long reviews. Seeing how happy she was over it I thought I could mention you too and I hope it gives some good things into your day ^_~  
  
I just realized that this is the longest chapter ever!! Go me!!  
  
I wasn't that inspired in writing about Christmas, but I'm still happy to be able to make this so long.  
  
I'm sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes but I think the second chapter won't have them.  
  
See ya! Ja ne! 


	24. Preparing the Stage

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ***new place or time***  
  
¤¤¤¤¤  
  
Chapter 24 Preparing the Stage  
  
Christmas was over and New Year was getting closer, but when most of the people were having fun, Inu-yasha wasn't.  
  
He couldn't forget what his brother had told him. Sesshomaru had found the way of freeing Kagome from this material world and Inu-yasha wasn't sure did he want it.  
  
It wasn't even half a year since he moved to the haunted estate with his family and gotten new friends. Still he felt like everything was going to end. . . Somehow. . .  
  
"I know" Sango exclaimed in excitement when they were planning how to spend the New Year. This was the first New Year they would have Inu-yasha with them so they should do something different than usually.  
  
Anyway, they didn't have too many ideas. Their best ideas were to spend the New Year at Kouga whose house was empty when his family went to another town to some cousins or they would travel to the nearest city. The second idea was, however, killed in the first place cause they didn't have money to go.  
  
"There is this high hill not far away" Sango explained looking at her friends of who Kikyo and Inu-yasha were sitting with her on a bench when Kouga and Miroku were standing. They were before their usual place where they often ate after school. "You know it right?!" he asked from Kouga and Miroku who she had known longest of her friends. "There we could see all the fire works of all the near towns and cities and we wouldn't need to buy our own fireworks."  
  
"I recall Koishi talking something about getting some drinks free from Saloon Bar cause otherwise they would throw the old stuff out" Kouga thought when turning for Miroku. Koishi had been hanging with them quite a lot always when he could get free from work.  
  
"Old drinks?!" Kikyo exclaimed leaning forward on the bench.  
  
Miroku was surprised by her when he was standing right in front of her. "Damn!" he cursed and then turned to look at her. "They are not too old to drink. . . You just can't sell them anymore" he explained.  
  
"Yeah! You can't sell old stuff even thought it's useable" Sango added looking from behind Inu-yasha at Kikyo.  
  
Inu-yasha was listening only with one ear if even with that when he sat between the girls. He had been so much in his own worlds since Sesshomaru told him. . . That. . .!  
  
"We'll work out something" Kouga said scratching his neck. "If not now then on New Year, but I gotta go now. My mom will kill me if I'm not at home when my grandparents come."  
  
"Alright" Miroku said nodding when suddenly Kikyo jumped up.  
  
"Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "I wholly forgot I have to look after my little sister today."  
  
"Well" Sango said when standing up. "What if we all go home for now and talk about this later, eh?" She looked at the others and all nodded.  
  
Kouga was quickly gone with Kikyo when Sango took her bag and was about to leave when she finally realized that Inu-yasha wasn't his usual self. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked him when Miroku stretched his back.  
  
Inu-yasha shook his head waking up from his thoughts and looked up at Sango. "I'm alright" he said when standing up yawning.  
  
"Man, you don't look like okay" Miroku said stretching his hands and letting them fall on his sides after.  
  
"I'm telling you I'm okay" Inu-yasha said sighing. He didn't want to tell the two of them of what Sesshomaru had told – not yet. "I just have a lot on my mind."  
  
Miroku's lips curled up into smile and then he put his arm around Inu- yasha's shoulders. "That explains it" he exclaimed into Inu-yasha's ear. "That small brain of yours can't handle so much pressure."  
  
"Oh. . . Shut up!!" Inu-yasha shout and hit Miroku away. Or at least tried cause Miroku jumped away just in time.  
  
"Finally I got you to smile again" Miroku exclaimed in safe distance pointing at Inu-yasha's face were formed a smile. "I haven't seen your smile for a while." He blinked his eye and then turned to leave. "Ciao! I gotta get home before dinner."  
  
"Bye!" Sango and Inu-yasha said in union when Miroku walked away waving his hand to them. Inu-yasha sighed and looked after Miroku for a while when he suddenly felt Sango's hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Well, I'm not gonna pray for what's on you mind" Sango said friendly to Inu-yasha. "But remember that we are here so talk to us anytime you need, okay?"  
  
Inu-yasha nodded and smiled to Sango with out saying anything. Sango brought her finger on her lips wondering something. "Why don't I come to you later this evening, eh?" she asked suddenly.  
  
Inu-yasha thought about it for a moment and then agreed. "I think Kagome would love your company" he said smiling.  
  
"Alright then" Sango exclaimed when stepping away backwards. "I'll call you before I'll leave home, alright? But I gotta go now so see ya!"  
  
"I'm waiting your call!" Inu-yasha shout after when Sango started to run toward the nearest buss stop to get home.  
  
Inu-yasha sighed and then after a short moment left to head toward his home that wasn't that far away from where he was. He could easily walk there but there was no way he would walk by the graveyard.  
  
It was too months since the attack, but still it was too fresh in his mind and not only that. He was starting to fear that Koishi was slowly finding out what had happened. He didn't want his long time friend to get into trouble cause of him.  
  
***Chaz's flat***  
  
"I tell you" Aliz exclaimed when trying to get up the stairs in the tenement building where Chaz's flat was. She was leaning heavily on the railing when getting up the stairs. She was drunk like always. "This is going from bad to worse. Now they are trying to find out more about the mansion and if they truly know that Inu-yasha lives there they will attack again."  
  
"I know" Chaz muttered carrying a paper bag in his arms full of food when looking for his keys on the way up. "I'm not an idiot like some."  
  
"Well, excuse me!" Aliz snorted when somewhat straightened her back in the middle of the stairs, but when she was falling back wards she had to grab a hold of the railing again.  
  
Chaz glanced behind him just before turning for his flat's door sighing. Then his eyes catch on something. He dropped the paper bag that made Aliz look up from her trembling feet. "Curse it!" Chaz cursed when pulling his door open with out using the key.  
  
Aliz noticed why when she saw the broken lock on his door. She took a hold of herself again and almost soberly she got up the stairs quickly and after his brother.  
  
Chaz stared at his home with wide terrified eyes. Everything was out of place, furniture's upside down, all his papers on the floor, windows open and books thrown down from the shells.  
  
"What is this?" Aliz gasped when seeing the first room of his brother's flat. Chaz walked silently in looking around him finding many of his dear things broken. He lifted his table that was upside down the right way finding from under it his most precious thing.  
  
He lifted it in his trembling hands looking at the paper with sad eyes. The only picture he had left of his dear departed brother was in his hand now with burned edges and destroyed face. He closed his eyes tightening his hold of the picture when trembling in anger and sadness.  
  
Aliz let her brother bee when she walked over all the stuff wondering silently how Chaz could even fit all this in here. He collected some interesting papers reading on them with one eyes.  
  
Chaz stood up leaning on the table he had just lifted. Who and why? Why did this happen?  
  
"If they didn't know that he was connected with the mansion. . ." Aliz said silently that got Chaz's attention. "They know now." His eyes widened when he saw Aliz showing all the student papers she had found.  
  
***in the yard***  
  
Inu-yasha sat in the yard with a hot cup of coffee waiting for Sango to come. She had called just a moment ago and Inu-yasha thought he needed fresh air.  
  
He had seen Sesshomaru talking with Kagome in Sesshomaru's little library and had decided to let them be. They were so hard looking for any information concerning their found way to free the ghost.  
  
Inu-yasha hadn't talked that much with Kagome since Christmas cause he wasn't still not sure should he jump of happiness or cry. He sighed and wandered back to the Christmas on that morning. . .  
  
"This small box" had Sesshomaru explained showing a beautiful pattered golden box to his little brother. "Was found from the cellar and Kagome told it had had a diamond ring in it back in time."  
  
That had confused Inu-yasha then but now it was making him regret many things. "You know what there is told about ghosts. . . They have some unfinished business still on the world of living and that is why they can't go to heaven. When seeing this box Kagome remembered what that something was."  
  
Even now after some days Inu-yasha's heart skipped just by thinking about it. Back then it can be that his heart had skipped twice thought. "The last time when I still could walk I was walking with that ring from that box in my hand" Kagome had explained carefully to him. "I lost it at the southern side of the garden and it bothered me to the last day I lived. But it didn't bother me as much as not telling the other's bothered me. That ring could have saved my family from all the dept."  
  
Inu-yasha didn't want to think further. They needed to wait for the snow to smelt before they can look for it anyway.  
  
However. . . It might be that it's not there anymore. After so long you would think someone would have found it and sold it. Well. . . That's why Kagome and Sesshomaru are checking trough all those books and magazines about some rare jewellery and other stuff that could be useful.  
  
When looking up at the window to Sesshomaru's library just when Sango arrived he secretly wished they wouldn't find it. . .  
  
¤¤¤¤¤  
  
A/N: It's so long!!  
  
Why?  
  
Cause I got a tendovaginitis on my right hand that's my better hand. And if you don't know what that strange word mean (checked it from a dictionary) it doesn't matter, but it means I couldn't use my hand and I couldn't do much with a comp at all.  
  
Also for the same reason I was left behind at school and so after my hand healed I was drowning into school work so I didn't have time to do anything fun. Just reading some math and Swedish and ect.  
  
Well. . . I finally found some time now when I don't have more than wan school work, but I still need to design some cards and I'll be paid for them. Yay!!  
  
Now. . . About this Christmas stuff. I was pretty certain that it's the same way celebrating Christmas in most of the northern European countries, but I didn't want to say it, fearing I would be wrong in the end. XP Just to be a smartass, Finland isn't really a part of Skandinavia, but anyway.  
  
And sorry... I won't write to you everyone special thanks for it's almost 00.00 am and I'm real tired!  
  
I'm doing also many other stuff on my free time and so I won't be reading on other stories much, but I will read when I find time for it (to hanyo punk chick).  
  
Yes! The story is kag/inu like all of my stories cause I don't like them with anyone else.  
  
About how will Kagome end up. . . I won't tell ya! It would take all the fun away  
  
Now. . . Sorry for the chapter's shortness and late updates, but it will continue this way, but just like I have said I won't forget these stories.  
  
I just have beside this a RPG to lead to, two comics to draw and get into net, one book to write and get into net beside all these fanfics and I'm still getting more and more story ideas for comics, books and fanfics. Sigh!  
  
There just isn't enough time. Simple as that!  
  
Now. . . *yawn* Time to go and sleep. . .  
  
Hyvää yötä! God natt! Good night!  
  
The three languages I'm good at and the order shows which I learned first. And. . . I did learn Swedish before school.  
  
Now. . .  
  
See ya! 


	25. To some calm nights is only a dream

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ¤¤¤new place or time¤¤¤  
  
¤¤¤¤  
  
Chapter 25 To some calm nights is only a dream  
  
It was again one of those nights when you get home late at night. It was dark and the only lights were those bordering the road on the left side. This was one of the few roads in this village that had lights.  
  
Soon Inu-yasha had to turn from that lit road to another one that was dark as hell. What I meant with one of those nights? Simply it was a night when you think that around every corner jumps a freak or a monster.  
  
In this darkness Inu-yasha was getting home trying to keep his eyes in front and not to look around even thought he felt like someone was following him all the time.  
  
Memories from the graveyard came back and he tried to keep them away repeating "there is nothing" all the time under his breath.  
  
Unintentionally he quickened his space when he heard noises from behind. "It's a cat, it's a cat" he repeated when walking faster and faster toward his home that was still too far away for his liking.  
  
Those noises, however, weren't Inu-yasha's imagination. If he would have looked back he would have seen two dark figures now facing each other.  
  
"You" the other one hissed crouching slightly ready to attack anytime.  
  
The one who made the noise by kicking on an empty bottle stood calmly hands folded. "Me. . . "she said calmly. "You have problems with that?"  
  
"You won't get into our way" the first one growled like a tiger. Her eyes gleamed in the dark like those of a cat, but still it didn't frighten the other one.  
  
"You won't get to him as long as I'm alive" Aliz said walking toward the tiger like woman. "I won't let you kill another innocent boy over something so stupid" she continued when walking.  
  
The other one growled and with out any sign jumped at Aliz sharp claws ready to hit her dead.  
  
Aliz was surprised by the attack and jumped away, but still got a scratch on her cheek. She brought her hand on the three bloody lines on her cheek. However she didn't have much more time when the tiger like woman jumped at her again, but this time she had time to draw her sword.  
  
Gleaming eyes widened when the attacked noticed the sword and she had no problem avoid the attack Aliz made toward her.  
  
"Hmph!" Aliz straightened her back staring at the gleaming eyes. "So the rumours of your violent tiger-like fighting weren't a lie I see" she said narrowing her eyes. This was one of those rare nights when she had drunken only one glass of strong alcohol. "Gin."  
  
Gin growled evilly and got on all four. Aliz didn't show any fear, but she was getting worried. This woman before her wasn't an ordinary human and she had only faced ordinary humans.  
  
But if this girl was truly one of those attackers at the graveyard how was she able to make them run back then?  
  
Aliz let those thoughts leave her mind when Gin attacked her again roaring like a huge tiger. Aliz didn't have enough power dodge all Gin's attacks and keep every claw and fang out from reach.  
  
'I truly hope you appreciate this, Inu-yasha" Aliz thought almost chuckling on the thought when she finally was able to push the angry tiger off of her.  
  
"Now die" Gin growled starting her final attack, but she was stopped when she heard a gun shot and dodged the bullet just in time. Now meters away from Aliz she looked at the direction of the shot.  
  
She growled low when she saw Chaz standing with a gun in his hand and aiming at her. "Get lost now" Chaz said firmly. He stood calmly in a short distance aiming right at Gin's head.  
  
In these siblings were so many differences even thought they are so alike. Aliz was the more silent than Chaz, Chaz almost never drunk and Aliz did so all the time, but maybe the most important difference was that Chaz was capable to kill unlike Aliz.  
  
Gin knew that cause this wasn't the first time she had met up with these two and she knew it wasn't the last time when she disappeared into the shadows out of Chaz's range.  
  
"It was about time!" Aliz growled when putting her sword back to it's scabbard. Chaz didn't say anything when he still stared on the place where Gin had been.  
  
¤¤¤New Year¤¤¤  
  
The New Year was cold, but a cloudless night. Inu-yasha was sitting with his friends remembering how before he left home Sesshomaru promised to take Kagome on the roof to see the fireworks.  
  
Kagome could have gone alone, but she liked company more and Sesshomaru who had no money to visit Tokyo decided to spend the New Year with the ghost. Inu-yasha hated it when he felt jealous. His brother was spending the night with Kagome, but he wasn't exactly sure would he dare to spend time with Kagome. He still wasn't sure what to think.  
  
"Were you planning to keep us waiting this long" Sango exclaimed when she stood up seeing Koishi and Kouga coming with bags of drinks.  
  
"Try to carry these bags from the Saloon Bar here on a frozen road!" Kouga growled when they got up on the hill.  
  
Now all of the friends were sitting on top of the hill that was the highest spot in this village. It was also very favoured sliding hill. During New Year there was a lot of people on the hill – especially teens – but no wonder when this was the best place to see the fireworks with out paying of them.  
  
To keep them selves warm they had brought something to sit on, extra clothes in a bag they had and then a lot of tea and coffee. Kikyo had also made with Sango some warm food that was cold already, but they were good anyway.  
  
Koishi sat beside Inu-yasha offering a cup of coffee. "You haven't been talking much lately" he said when his friend took the cup.  
  
"I have been thinking a lot" Inu-yasha explained sipping on the coffee when the first fireworks lightened up the sky. Sango stood up with Kouga shouting and whistling.  
  
Koishi chuckled when looking at Sango and Kouga. Then he turned to loo at Inu-yasha. He ruffed his white hair and said "How many times I need to tell you to leave the thinking to me, eh?!"  
  
"Cut it off!" Inu-yasha shout playfully pushing Koishi on the ground. "You are even worse than Kiken!"  
  
"Me?" Koishi asked when leaning on his elbows on his back. "If I would be worse than her I would be burning up your hair and clothes and make you run naked around these people with a sign around your neck where reads 'free to use'."  
  
Inu-yasha looked long at Koishi. "Wasn't that exactly what Kiken made you do on you 18th birthday?" he asked lifting his other brow.  
  
"Well. . . "Koishi muttered scratching his cheek with one finger just when Miroku jumped up with an aw when a huge green colored firework lit up the sky.  
  
Sango clapped her hands and cheered on when seeing the awesome firework. Even seeing it made Koishi sit up again with an aw.  
  
Kouga didn't get to see the firework and the next ones that flew on the sky when Kikyo pushed the guy down the hill rolling right into a lap of someone's girlfriend.  
  
Inu-yasha and Koishi saw this and laughed when Kouga tried to get away from the jealous boyfriend unharmed. "He deserved it" Kikyo said not explaining for what.  
  
¤¤¤the mansion¤¤¤  
  
"Shut up brat!!" Sesshomaru growled when Shippo climbed on him all the time asking questions about his real mother.  
  
Shippo had learned this fact during the Christmas from the others, but this was actually the only chance he could ask it from Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru was sitting on the frozen roof of his home looking at the fireworks on the sky behind trees. From the roof you could see the hill top and earlier he had told Kagome that Inu-yasha was there.  
  
"It's none of your business" Sesshomaru growled when the kitsune didn't stop.  
  
"Why?" Shippo asked climbing on Sesshomaru's head. "Why won't you talk about it?" he said when on his shoulder. "Why?" he said again when sitting on his lap.  
  
Sesshomaru who had until then kept calm suddenly lifted Shippo up from his tail. "Why?" the little demon said almost with a whisper. That was enough to Sesshomaru and ht trough the kitsune over his shoulder somewhere in the snowy bushes on the garden.  
  
"Sesshomaru!" Kagome exclaimed scowling Inu-yasha's brother. She floated to him looking straight into his eyes. "That was too cruel."  
  
Sesshomaru just looked at her boringly. "Bring him back if that's better" he said with an uncaring voice.  
  
"Hmph!" Kagome straightened her back having her hands on her hips. "So I will!" she said and was soon gone.  
  
Sesshomaru sighed. He looked up at the fireworks on the sky with nothing telling expression.  
  
Suddenly Kagome came back with out Shippo wrapping his arms around Sesshomaru quickly. Sesshomaru noticed how she was shaking of fear. "What?" he asked almost calmly but failed to hide his concern.  
  
"Shippo. . . Strangers. . ." she said fearing to say anything aloud.  
  
Sesshomaru looked at her over his shoulder with a question on his face. Then he stood up and carefully went to the ladder to get down from the roof. It was slippery and so Kagome helped him to maintain his balance.  
  
Finally he got down and then he slowly went toward the entrance of the huge yard. Kagome was all the time behind his back, but she nodded to him to show that he was going to the right direction.  
  
After hearing about the attack at the graveyard months ago he learned that everything in this village wasn't like it looked. Saloon Bar and the area around it was terrible, but the attack just confirmed his suspicions.  
  
Sesshomaru saw a hole in the snow and knew that was the place where Shippo had landed, but the kitsune was nowhere to be seen. Then he noticed footsteps around the hole. Who could have it been? From the way they were around the hole he could tell someone was here for the little demon.  
  
Kagome was looking carefully out from the gate of the yard. Sesshomaru came beside her and in distance he saw three dark figures of which one was holding something animal like in his hand. "Shippo?" he muttered and was answered by Kagome's nod.  
  
"Those guys. . ." she said silently. "Have been around lately. . . Talking about Inu-yasha and about this mansion."  
  
Sesshomaru looked at the ghost and then at the dark figures. He was silent and thoughtful for a long moment, but then suddenly he snapped out from it and run toward the house. The direction where the strangers were going. . . The hill was exactly at that direction!  
  
"They are going there" he suddenly heard a man's voice from behind him. He stopped and turned around.  
  
There was a man standing at the gate. Sesshomaru had seen this man before. He couldn't forget that black and green hair and those yellow eyes.  
  
"They are after Inu-yasha" Chaz said to Sesshomaru who didn't show any feelings on his nothing-telling expression, but he knew the older of the brothers was worried.  
  
¤¤¤at the hill¤¤¤  
  
Inu-yasha laughed heartily even thought of his heavy thoughts. He had decided to have fun on this night and forget the stuff about freeing the ghost for now.  
  
A small group of some college people beside them had shared their radio with them. How it didn't care about this frost they didn't know but at least it was functional.  
  
The reason why Inu-yasha was laughing so hard was when half drunken Koishi and Kouga were dancing some dance that was meant to be tango. Koishi was the man in this dance trying to lift Kouga up couple of times just causing himself to fall on the ground and get Kouga at the top of him. Kouga had between his teeth a plastic fork that was now playing the role of a red rose.  
  
Miroku and Sango had disappeared some time ago and Kikyo had been giggling about their disappearance. She was imply talking about naughty stuff, but Inu-yasha knew she was like that when she was enough drunk.  
  
Inu-yasha wasn't anymore sitting on the blankets their group had, but he had switched places with two flirting guys who had gotten interested of Kikyo. Inu-yasha was talking with a girl that had her boyfriend in Tokyo. Behind them were two college students snuggling.  
  
Inu-yasha had found out that these college students knew Sesshomaru from school. It didn't take much time for them to guess that Inu-yasha was Sesshomaru's little brother.  
  
Inu-yasha's new companion was talking a lot of a girl who had a big crush on Sesshomaru, but didn't have the courage to ask him out. Inu-yasha was more like telling of Sesshomaru's bad side.  
  
When Inu-yasha was having fun with his friends he wasn't aware of two pairs of watching eyes. This wasn't going to be a calm night for him.  
  
¤¤¤¤  
  
A/N: I had just an exam today and before I start to read for my next exam I decided to relax a bit. I was reading on TOG's (Tears of a Ghost) old chapters and then got a little inspiration, but when I was righting I got more and more ideas. . .!  
  
I had lost my grip on this story sometime ago. I just didn't get the inspiration to write it further and so I wrote some of my other stories (and I'm not only talking about fanfics). But now I got the inspiration and I have started to see more clearly how things will go.  
  
We are getting closer the end of this story, but there will be over 30 chapters I think. I can't figure out how could I get all I want in five chapters so it will be over 30   
  
This was now just a special occasion. Next chapter would have appeared on next month if I wouldn't have gotten this inspiration and then wrote this is in about half an hour.  
  
Now thanks to all my great readers!!!   
  
Inuyashachic515: Thanks for your review! About updating sooner. . . I do it always when I have time and inspiration. I just have now a lot of school work and when it's over I work as a babysitter, but I think that in any case I get more time on next month.  
  
Redroses: Big thanks for your review   
  
Lunatic Pandora1: I would have no problem to read Swedish reviews. So if you want you can write them on Swedish The previous chapter was meant to do just what the title told. Prepare the stage  
  
Pori-Chan: Hmm. . . I know the meaning of Koishi even thought I didn't know it when I came up with him. Still it won't be changed and maybe some day I come up with explanation why he's called koishi. Maybe it's cause he's sweater than his older sister looks around  
  
sweetdaeth: I agree with you. Poor Inu-yasha. . . sigh Thanks for the review   
  
That's to all the readers who have reviewed since uploading chapter 24.  
  
I left you with a cliffhanger. . . Didn't I? You must bear with it, but actually this is still just going deeper into the point. I'm still not exactly sure what happens in next chapter so I can't promise anything when I'll write it smirk  
  
Well. . . I go now and study Swedish and ask for you patience when waiting for chapters. I also would be very happy if you would even consider reading my other stories   
  
See ya! 


	26. Attackers of the graveyard

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', (new place or time)

¤¤¤¤

Chapter 26

Attackers of the graveyard

"Why are you helping Inu-yasha!?" Sesshomaru demanded to know when he with this a bit older guy run toward the hill. It wasn't too near and Chaz knew it would have been easier with a car, but his car was too far to get now.

Chaz was silent when running along side with Sesshomaru carrying his western-like and eastern-like sword in one hand. He hadn't noticed the ghost floating after them. After all Kagome had intentionally been out of sight even from Sesshomaru who could see her.

Sesshomaru kept his demanding eyes on Chaz when running and finally the man gave up. "Cause I don't want another innocent life to be lost" he said and made Sesshomaru thoughtful when neither one even glanced at each other.

Suddenly they heard a kid shouting. They stopped and listened on the voice when Sesshomaru recognized it. "Shippo" he muttered looking at the direction from which it came.

It came from behind trees. Beside the road was a forest that ended at the nearest farm which wasn't too near. Chaz looked at Sesshomaru questioning, but couldn't ask him anything when with a growl Sesshomaru went into the shadows of the trees.

'I don't know why I'm helping that little bastard' Sesshomaru thought when growling. He heard the shout Shippo was making, but couldn't hear what he was shouting exactly.

Now when Chaz was far enough behind coming after Kagome appeared to Sesshomaru. "Don't go!" she said with deep worry in her eyes.

Sesshomaru stopped staring at the ghost. "Why?" he asked. "I thought he was your friend?!"

Kagome straightened her back like she would have been insulted. "You can't take those people on! They aren't ordinary. . ." she tried to explain somehow, but looked away.

Sesshomaru was going to demand for more when Chaz suddenly came behind him and Kagome disappeared from the sight again.

"Do you even know against who you are going?" Chaz asked Sesshomaru pulling him from the sleeve.

Sesshomaru pulled himself free. "I hoped you would enlighten me" he growled bringing his face before Chaz's.

They were silent and stared each other with narrowed eyes, but then they looked around when they heard terrible laughter. Somehow it chilled your spine. Chaz who knew who was laughing kept his serious expression, but Sesshomaru let his worry slip for a moment before he got a hold of himself.

From the shadows stepped two figures out, but neither one of them were the one laughing. One of them was a woman having a kimono on and a fan in her hand. Her black hair was tied up and had some decorations in it.

The other one was a man with a long black braid. He was dressed like one from ancient Japan. He had an armor and on his shoulder he had a big, heavy zanbatou. In his other hand that wasn't holding his weapon he was holding Shippo from the kitsune's tale.

"I told you I found nothing" Shippo shrieked. "I have looked from everywhere, truthfully!"

Sesshomaru looked at the little kitsune and realized that he didn't know everything about this little one.

"Why are you still hiding" Chaz asked, but Sesshomaru didn't know from who. "Your ugly laughing is killing my ears" he added.

The laughter continued when a man with black wavy hair stepped out from the shadows. "Why aren't you worried, Charles?" the man asked using the name from which Chaz was a nickname. "When your little protégé is in danger?"

Chaz's eyes widened very slightly when he again remembered Inu-yasha. Hissing he brought his hand on the other sword ready to draw it. His moves however made Shippo bite his nails and the woman opened her fin and the man holding Shippo was ready to use his weapon.

Sesshomaru who knew only how to be wicked and evil knew nothing about fighting against people with real weapons looked around fearing that there was no way out. There were three against the two of them and Chaz was the only one who truly knew of fighting.

(where ever Aliz is)

Aliz run forward in the dark streets near the Saloon Bar. It wasn't the best time to move there, but being used with the life style of the place she knew when to avoid people. She run in the middle of the road hoping there won't suddenly appear a car behind a corner.

She knew that her brother had gone for the mansion after seeing Gin, but she was after something else. However the things would be they couldn't take the followers of Inu-yasha on alone.

Calling the cops was out of question. Aliz and Chaz would get in trouble for their own grimes in this. Thought, Aliz doubted that any police would show up anyway.

Huffing she continued running until she was long past Saloon Bar and turned in the next corner. She stopped there immediately sensing that something was wrong. Something wasn't right. She looked around her until she realized that the street lights weren't on. This street was always lit well, but now it was dark as the promises it gave.

Tightening her hand around her western-like sword she stepped into the darkness. She didn't know if there was need to be this careful, but she had to admit that she feared. Like it wouldn't be scary enough to walk alone in a dark street, but more so, when you knew there could be someone in the shadows waiting you.

Aliz was listening carefully around her and tried to see into the shadows, but suddenly her eyes cached a street light which was almost like a ray of hope in the darkness.

Whit a sigh she hoped she wouldn't need to take back she walked toward the light and the car she saw in the shadows the front of it in the light.

(At the hill)

The girl Inu-yasha had been talking with opened two beers and offered the other one to Inu-yasha. He didn't take it immediately when he was pushing the snuggling pair behind them. He was getting annoyed by all the sounds. Miroku and Sango at least went do all they wanted in private.

Kikyo was attracting now more than two boys with her silly talk and Kouga and Koishi were too tired to finish their dance. They were laying their head on the blanket not realizing that they were getting cold on the ground.

"Those lovebirds won't notice you even if you shot them!" the girl holding her and Inu-yasha's beer laughed to Inu-yasha when suddenly the shot she mentioned became true.

It drew the attention of everybody – even the drunk – when the boy Inu-yasha was kicking was shot.

Inu-yasha's new friend screamed throwing the beers away right at Kouga and Koishi who crawled behind them somewhat. "Eww. . ." Koishi exclaimed like a girl when Kouga continued his way behind Inu-yasha with a very disgusted expression.

The girl who had blonde hair and screamed trembled of fear, when her friend who was sot shout of pain and her girlfriend sat up with no idea of what to do. Inu-yasha was pushed way by Kouga, but he still was stunned. What in nine-hells was going on was the question on everyone's mind.

The people started to gather around the boy and someone told to call the ambulance and three half drunk guys run toward a call-box down the hill. Helplessly the people tried to come up with something, but people who were too drunk like Kikyo were mostly laughing and in the way.

Inu-yasha however let the people take care of the boy, when he got suddenly a flash back of the graveyard incident again. He lifted his other hand on his forehead. He turned his eyes toward the forest slightly down the hill almost like something was calling him. He gasped when a pair of yellow eyes was staring at him down there.

"I told you I should have shot!" exclaimed a girlish man having a sword on his shoulder.

Gin only stared up the hill at the white haired boy in the distance. She was silent when holding a rifle in her hands. "I know I'm no good shooter" she said growling. "But he doesn't want him dead. . . Yet."

She slowly turned her yellow eyes at her partner. Either one of them was moving when they stared at each other.

After a moment the man sighed and sat down. "Whatever" he muttered when he first time took a good glance of Inu-yasha who was standing on the hill. Suddenly he darted up and pointed excitedly at Inu-yasha from the shadows. "I want him! I want him!"

After putting up with one hundred of exclaims from the man, Gin growled and hit the rifle hard against his chest. "Just shut up!" she shout before walking into the sight of the white haired boy.

Inu-yasha stiffened. He seemed to be the only one noticing the striped woman stepping out from the shadows. There was something familiar in her, thought, but he couldn't bring it up. He looked at the other people who were worried about they guy who was shot.

He looked down at the woman in front of the forest. Her white teethed grin and yellow eyes promised nothing good.

(in another forest)

"I'm getting enough of this sick joke, Naraku" Chaz spit out the cursed name still ready to draw his sword anytime needed. The man continued his sickening laugh when Sesshomaru felt like he was left out of it.

"It's not you we want, Charles, so you can relax" Naraku said with a voice filled of poison and his grin added in it made you spine chill. He turned his dark eyes at Sesshomaru who stiffened. "But of you I wouldn't be too sure. . ."

Sesshomaru didn't move and tried to hide every emotion as well as he could. "What do you want from me and my brother?" he asked with a secure voice.

Chaz quickly turned to look at Sesshomaru. "You. . ." he was about to say with a worried voice.

"Your brother, eh?" Naraku asked leaning his chin on his hand. "This would be interesting."

Sesshomaru first stared at Chaz and then at Naraku shortly realizing. . . He hit his hand on his mouth like to hide the words he had said, but of course it was too late. Naraku had only been guessing for any connection between Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha, but he went and gave a clear answer.

Chaz turned his eyes at Naraku again stepping closer Sesshomaru like a protecting shield still holding his hand on his sword. "What do you want from them?" Chaz asked seriously looking at Naraku from under his brows, but listening on the moves of the two other persons at the sides.

Shippo had been silent like a mouse and the man holding him didn't do any move against them and the woman just shut her fan and sighed.

"And why did you kill my brother?" Chaz demanded growling. Sesshomaru turned to look at the man when hearing that. Now he understood why he was helping Inu-yasha or why he was so angry to these guys.

"It wasn't me who killed him" Naraku said looking at his nails.

"You know what I mean!" Chaz growled. "The killer was one of your minions, but you are the one behind it all!"

Naraku laughed evilly and then looked at Chaz. "He was just a simply in the way, that's all. Our true target is. . ." He turned to look at Sesshomaru who didn't know what was this all about.

¤¤¤¤

A/N:

09/01/04

I must admit first of all that I don't like this chapter at all! And it was hard to write as well – much like forcing myself. I don't know why but that's how it was when writing this.

About my grammar and spelling mistakes. . .

I try to spell check my chapters and read them trough, but simply cause my own language isn't English I do not know or notice all my mistakes. And I never had a good grade in English. That is why I hope it's enough for you just that the story is understandable.

I also don't have too much time to check on the old chapters. I'm not only in school (where practically I do nothing) but I'm also at work. I leave home after 9 o'clock and am home after 6 p.m. And I tell you I'm pretty tired then and also I have other things in my life than this story or any of my stories.

That is why I kindly ask that you won't always bring out my grammar and spelling mistakes cause I know of them well enough. I don't know but somehow to be told of that over and over again kills my inspiration. That is why I would rather not read of my spelling mistakes.

I also know that there are people who work more in a day than me and might be more tired than me when they get home, but I'm still out of energy when I get home.

Well. . . Maybe I should stop talking about that now.

Oh. . . And if you would like to edit my chapter you can feel free to do so after you have contacted me of course (also the old chapters).

I'll continue this A/N on another day. For some reason my computer doesn't open the page of so I can't even check out the old reviews I have got.

09/02/04

Thanks to the following reviewers

morlana: What happens to Shippo you'll find out soon enough And thanks

Moon-Dragon 1288: Thanks a lot

: Thanks for the review.

Lunatic Pandora1: It's okay with me either way You might already guess Shippo's part

firenine: Here is the following chapter

chibiCall: Thanks!

arkynox: Soon you will

Star Fire Kagome: I update when I get a chapter ready and it can mean a long time between updates. Sorry for that.

katie keita: Thank you very much

Hanyou Neko: Great to hear that

Estal0ne11: I know you don't like cliffhangers as reader, but as writer I love them (I must admit it). They also keep you and as well me interested

falcony32: Thanks!

Call Me Shiggy: I think I don't need to repeat my self after writing what's above and big thanks! I try to get chapters written more often now

FirePrincessTheOneAndOnly: Thanks for the review

Okay, those are all who has given me a review since last update.

And thanks to you all ones again.

I try to get the next chapter written as soon as possible and I hope it will satisfy even me unlike this one. I still hope you like the chapter thought.

And I know it's a cliffhanger (but not from the worst end)

But see you next time


	27. Wild first hours of January

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).  
  
Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', ¤¤¤new place or time¤¤¤

¤¤¤¤

Chapter 27

Wild first hours of January

The fuzz at the hill was getting out of hand. The young man who was shot was bleeding fast and his sight was already getting fuzzy. His girlfriend was no help when some of the more sober ones tried to calm the situation. One had called for ambulance and some were trying to figure out what happened when most were still screaming.

No one noticed Inu-yasha. Not even Koishi and Kouga who were almost laughing hysterically on the situation when Kikyo had changed from laughing to crying.

Inu-yasha was still staring at Gin in distance. Her grin chilled his spine and he knew she was after him; he knew the bullet was meant for him. To kill or to wound he didn't know but it was definitely meant for him.

In distance you could hear the emergency vehicles, but Inu-yasha didn't notice them when all his thoughts were on the striped woman.

Having her grin on her face Gin walked up the hill slowly not fearing that the others would notice her. The man she had left behind her in the forest collected the rifle. He gave one last glance at Gin and then abandoning her he run to the very opposite direction in the woods.

The man who had called for the ambulance informed every one of the sounds he heard in the distance. Most of the people calmed, but some just couldn't stop their crying or laughing or even screaming.

Suddenly everyone snapped out from any thought they had. They turned to look down the hill on other side than the forest. There they saw two bright lights to come at them from darkness roaring like a beast and rattling like an old tractor.

Most of the people started to scream when they weren't sure of what it was. Those two lights like eyes and that thunder-like sound made many if not scream then back up and almost leave the wounded behind. The sound of the ambulance that had grown stronger had now completely disappeared under the noise of what ever was coming toward them.

Inu-yasha was staring at the lights instead of staring of Gin. Somewhere in back of her mind he knew that Gin could be many times more dangerous than the one which was coming straight at them.

However, when he heard his name to be called he noticed Aliz looking out from a car's window. Aliz stopped the car in front of the crowd. She took her sword from the seat beside the driver having her eyes fixed on Gin.

Inu-yasha looked back at Gin and then run past Aliz. He went to Koishi and Kouga who were laughing hysterically and pointing on the car. "Get in there now!" Inu-yasha ordered the two of them helping them up on their feet.

Gin stared at Aliz from the distance. Her stance changed from a self-confident one to a careful one when she heard with her sharp ears the sound of the ambulance. It was now stronger than the terrible noise of Aliz's car.

When Gin then turned around and started to run like a cat out from Aliz's sight, she snapped out from it hearing the ambulance as well. She noticed Inu-yasha helping Koishi into the car after Kouga.

She glanced at the shocked people and then run to the car, not knowing which one of the youths were Inu-yasha's friends. However it was important to take them out from this place now and it was relief that Inu-yasha realized it.

Aliz sat into the car placing her sword between her and the door when Inu-yasha brought Kikyo on the back bench. She was now almost half asleep. Koishi's warm shoulder was also tempting so she fell asleep very quickly.

"Was that all of your friends?" Aliz asked Inu-yasha when she looked over her shoulder and saw the ambulance bark beside the road and two or three white-dressed people to run up the hill whit their instruments.

"Two is still missing!" Inu-yasha shout over all the noises that wasn't now made only by the car but also by the youths who were jumping up and down and screaming.

"Well we don't have time" Aliz shout when looking behind the car and saw one of the doctors of the ambulance to come toward them. "Hop in!"

She pushed the accelerator down to full speed and Inu-yasha barely managed to get in into the car. Aliz drove down the hill not stopping even when some youths were jumping away from her way.

Down on the road she turned the car sharply just when she saw two police cars to come toward the hill. She stopped the car and noticed how Inu-yasha was getting nervous beside her.

Narrowing her eyes and taking a better hold of the wheel she pushed the car to full speed and straight at the police cars.

Inu-yasha was certain that one of the police cars would turn around and come after them. However, when he looked out from the back window he saw the police stepping out from the car clueless.

"That's the problem of the police here" Aliz said turning sharply in one corner on the road. "There is no one to lead them and no one to make the right decisions and I doubt they know what they are doing anyway."

Inu-yasha looked at Aliz placing his seatbelt on him fearing the ride Aliz was giving him. He had realized that something was wrong with this town and now he got one proof of that.

"That is simply why many here take justice into their own hands" Aliz continued while driving like in Formula. "I and Chaz took the justice into our own hands. We did that even thought we might not always choose the right way. However, it's more than the police can do here."

The two of them were silent. The only sound were those of Kikyo sleeping and Kouga muttering when he got on him the weight of both Kikyo and Koishi, who was daydreaming on the moment.

Suddenly Inu-yasha snapped from his silent thought turning for Aliz. "What about Sango and Miroku?" he asked concerned of them.

Aliz glanced at Inu-yasha. "Pray that the enemy won't find them" was all she said when turning in the next curve on the road.

¤¤¤somewhere else¤¤¤

Sango snapped out from her sleep when she heard a gunshot in distance. It wasn't too loud, but cause it came from the direction of the hill she was worried.

She looked down on her lap at Miroku's peaceful face. They had gone into the woods to have some private time. However, sometime ago sleep had taken control of them.

Miroku was still fast asleep when Sango stood up feeling how heavy her head was. She leaned on a tree not bothering to put Miroku's head nicely on the ground, but let it drop from her lap.

That made Miroku wake up. He held his head when he slowly looked up at Sango. "What was that for!?" he demanded. "That hurt!"

"Oh, be quiet!" Sango snapped walking forward toward the hill. She stopped beside the next tree just to hold her balance. She didn't even want to know how she would feel on the next morning. "I heard a gun shot. . . I think. . . "

Miroku looked up at her with a puzzled expression. "Gun shot?" he asked disbelieving. "You must have dreamed." He somewhat got up on his knees by leaning on the tree beside them, but stopped when he heard the distance sound of an ambulance.

"If not a gun shot, then it's something else, but we must get back" Sango said glancing Miroku behind him with a worried expression.

That worry made Miroku sigh and get up. "Alright" he said. "If that makes you feel better." He walked toward her and she gave her hand to him with a smile.

They walked hand in hand for a moment when suddenly Sango felt Miroku's other hand to climb up from her belly to her breasts. "Pervert!" she screamed slapping him right at his face.

"What!?" Miroku exclaimed. "You let me do that before."

"Well. . . Now is just not the time to do that" she explained hastily walking forward by him as well as she could in her current not too sober state.

"Well, well, well. . ." said a voice on their right. "What do we have here, eh?"

Sango quickly turned to look to that direction seeing a woman – or was it actually a man – to step out into their sight from behind a tree.

"Who are you?" Sango managed to ask when Miroku came beside her on his knees. He grabbed her hand and looked from behind her at the person in front of them.

"Me? I'm Jakotsu" the man said bowing low to them. "Very nice to meet you." He grinned widely.

Sango blinked many times when staring at the guy. He had his hair up and he had marks under his both eyes. He also had lipstick on his lips as well he was dressed into a feminine kimono.

Miroku's eyes fixed on something and then he pointed with one finger at the rifle Jakotsu had in his hand. "You have a. . . a. . ."

Jakotsu lifted his other brow at Miroku and then looked down at the rifle. "Oh this!" he said like it was nothing. He lifted the rifle up and loaded it quickly. Then before any of them could blink an eye he was aiming at the two of them.

"You come two come with me" he said quickly suddenly seriously. "Or you won't see the next sunrise and believe me I wouldn't mind it."

Sango backed a step almost stepping on Miroku's hand he had let fall on the ground. Miroku just stared at him like this couldn't be real and he was dreaming.

¤¤¤in one of the forests again¤¤¤

"This little fox-demon here tries to make me believe him that there is no ancient jewellery in your house" Naraku said pointing on Shippo in the hand of one of his minions. "But I know that what I'm looking for is there." He turned to look at Chaz and Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes when hearing that. It seemed that Shippo was somehow in the game with these people, but that wasn't what made him worry. This jewellery. . . What if it was the one needed to release Kagome?

Suddenly he felt those cool hands on his shoulders but he couldn't see them. He knew it was the ghost. He felt her cool breath against his ear when she whispered. "Don't let them get it" was all she said and disappeared again.

Sesshomaru had a quick change in his expression which wasn't left unnoticed by Naraku. "You know what I want, don't you?" he asked from Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru looked at the man he would rather make disappear. "What if I do?" he asked with a calm voice.

Chaz glanced at him wondering did he really know. He stepped in front of Sesshomaru when Naraku stepped nearer.

"That's foolish of you Charles to do" Naraku said almost laughing. "You'll die in instance if you draw that sword of yours."

Chaz looked around at the man and woman on his both sides and then at Naraku. He let go of his sword and straightened his back, but didn't let his gaze leave Naraku.

"Now I need that diamond ring!" Naraku shout at Sesshomaru and Chaz from a safe distance luckily.

"In your dreams!!"

Chaz heard a shout of a young girl but saw nothing when Naraku was pushed down in front of him. However used with some action he quickly took his gun out from his leather jacket and shot at the man with zanbato on the shoulder.

The man was stopped by that for a moment cause he couldn't wing his weapon his shoulder wounded and he had dropped Shippo a moment ago.

The woman was no slower than the man and she managed to open his fan and send daggers made of wind at them.

Most of them hit on Chaz, but not deadly. Two hit Sesshomaru slightly. He saw Kagome got straight at the woman pushing her on the ground.

Sesshomaru quickly glanced at Naraku who lifted his head to give a death glare to him, but his face was burned by foxfire right after. The one with the long sword came at him again and Sesshomaru run from under but got a hit on his ankle.

Chaz shot at the man again this time on the belly and then grabbed Sesshomaru from under his shoulder. He was in pain but he had to ignore it this time. They had to get out from here.

He glanced behind him to see Shippo follow them and in the middle of the three enemies she saw a transparent girl like a guardian angel. He blinked his eyes and the girl disappeared, but he did notice a grin on Sesshomaru's face when he glanced back.

¤¤¤on the road¤¤¤

Aliz drove her car forward and she knew where she was going. Inu-yasha realized this when he looked at the surrounding. "Why to my home?" he asked from her.

Aliz was silent. "They know to look us from there" she answered.

Inu-yasha didn't get it, but when he looked out from the front window he saw something. "Stop!" he shout and Aliz shot down the brakes and made the three in the back fly from the bench painfully.

Inu-yasha run out from the car and saw Shippo shocked in front of the car. "Shippo?" he asked waiving his hand in front of the demon's face.

"Inu-yasha!" he heard the sweetest voice on Earth. He turned around to just fall on the road when Kagome embraced him with all her might.

Aliz didn't notice it thought cause she was trying to get the three in the back, back on the bench.

"Sesshomaru and his friend need help" Kagome finally told Inu-yasha when he was sitting again.

"Why would Sesshomaru need help?" he asked almost uncaring, but slight worry in his eyes which Kagome saw.

She smiled slightly at it, but hid it when noticing him to lift his brow in question. "They are wounded" she explained. "In there." She pointed at the forest from where Inu-yasha could hear someone coming slowly toward them.

Aliz got out from the car when Inu-yasha stood up. They saw something white and green from behind the trees, but before Inu-yasha could actually realize who was coming Aliz was already running into the woods.

Kagome looked after her and then sighing disappeared out from the sight.

"Chaz!" Aliz shout arriving to her brother. "What's happened?" she looked at the wounds on him and also the wounds on Sesshomaru.

"Naraku" Chaz explained and that was enough for Aliz to change her expression from worried to a serious one. She took Sesshomaru who had hard time to walk with his wounded ankle so her brother could move better.

"Sess?" Inu-yasha asked this time not hiding his worry. He had come into the wood in the end and was now seeing his wounded brother. Sesshomaru only looked at him and growled slightly. Then he let his head fall and he slightly smiled, but it was quickly hidden behind his usual expression.

¤¤¤in the mansion¤¤¤

The mansion was empty and there was only two or three light in the house to make people think there was someone inside. Aliz helped Sesshomaru into the house after Inu-yasha opened the door.

He went back to get his friends when Chaz stepped out from the car. It might be better if they stay with us" Chaz told Inu-yasha.

"That's what I thought" Inu-yasha told his teacher when helping protesting Kikyo out.

Chaz was holding his badly wounded hand with his other one. He walked toward the house which he had last time visited when he brought Inu-yasha home after he fell sick.

When Chaz stepped into the house, Aliz almost run into him. She however managed to go around him back to the car to help Kouga out from there.

Chaz walked into the living room where Sesshomaru was sitting a chair. He was silent and sat down on a sofa not asking any permission.

Inu-yasha brought Kikyo in helping her up the first stairs and placed her down on his parents' bed. He came back down the stairs reaching for the phone when Aliz came in.

"Where?" she asked helping Kouga. Inu-yasha pointed up the stairs and Aliz believed he meant the room which's door was open. "Ok. I'll go get the other guy as well after him."

Inu-yasha only nodded when dialling the number. "Where are you calling?" Sesshomaru asked absent minded.

"Mom" was Inu-yasha's short answer before he heard his mother's voice in the other end of the phone.

"Hi, mom" he started. "It's me Inu-yasha. . ." He was about to continue, but her mother didn't give him the chance. She was talking everything she could about how glad she was that he called and was Shippo okay and did Jaken get enough food.

Talking about Jaken. . . He had been unusually silent when he walked to his master. He sat down beside Sesshomaru's wounded leg, but his master only glanced down at him.

Aliz had already bought Koishi into the house and started to treat the wounded when Inu-yasha finally got the possibility to interrupt his mother. "Everything is okay!" Inu-yasha said too hastily that quieted his mother for a moment.

"Yes I'm sure we are fine!" he answered his following questions. Then he gave a disgusted expression which Sesshomaru noticed, when Aliz looked at his ankle. "No, we are not arranging any sex-party with Sess!"

"We aren't doing anything illegal" Inu-yasha tried to calm his hysterical mother and he was sure she was drunk by now. Other wise she would take it calmer.

Suddenly the call was cut. "Damn!" he cursed and laid the phone down. He walked into the living room.

"What were you going to tell her?" Sesshomaru asked. "Not to mention that some illegal stuff we are going to do if we haven't yet done." He glanced at Aliz who finished up with his ankle.

"I hoped to ask them to stay away for few more days" Inu-yasha told his brother leaning on the sofa's backrest. He sighed.

There was a heavy silence. The only sound was Aliz working on the first-aid kit to help the wounded.

The silence was broken by the phone. Inu-yasha turned around and looked at the ringing phone. He walked to it almost fearing for something bad to happen. He lifted the receiver to his ear answering simply "hello?"

He sighed of relief when it was only his father's low voice. He was apologizing about Inu-yasha's mother's acting. It seemed that he was more sober at least.

"I just wondered. . ." Inu-yasha started not too sure about how his father would react. "That if you would still stay some more days away. . ." He stopped when his father opened his mouth again. "Why? Well. . . Sesshomaru and I. . . We are. . ."

Inu-yasha turned for Sesshomaru to get some help but his brother only shrugged his shoulders. "Umm. . . We'll have a surprise for you two and we need more time to get it ready" he explained his father quickly. His father was first silent and then accepted the explanation.

Shortly Inu-yasha finished the call and hung up the phone. Then he turned for the living room. "Just what did I tell him?" he suddenly exclaimed.

"Just great!" Sesshomaru exclaimed wanting to hide into the chair he was sitting on and leave Inu-yasha alone with his promise.

¤¤¤¤

A/N: I got this one up quickly cause I had a very good picture of what to do and I also got an inspiration to write.

However for the next chapter it will take longer cause my days off from work end soon and then again I'm tired like hell and likely in no mood of writing this story. I try to write a chapter to another story of mine thought.

However this is a quite long chapter compared to the previous one. I have had longer chapters thought.

There didn't happen much in this chapter, but there will happen more. We need to deal with the attackers as well with what happened with Miroku and Sango.

I also try to get in the few following chapters more of Kagome and Inu-yasha. Now they would have some time thought

I'm not going to promise anything when the next chapter would appear, but hopefully I get it written after 2 weeks.

Thanks to the following people:

Inuyashachic515: I understand and accept your opinion. I write for the people who want to read, but I'm not forcing anyone. It's also true that somehow the story line doesn't work too well and to make it work a lot better I would need to write it over. However it won't be that easy and every time I write my way of writing changes slightly. Also this story is over a year old so it's hard for me too to remember exactly what I have wrote and I need to go back to old chapters more than ones when writing. The long brakes between updates are a bad thing too, but I'm no god who can suddenly get more time from nowhere to do all the things I want. But you review was a good opinion and made me think a few things. (And no, I do not know how many ghost stories there is out there. I do not find so much time to just calm down and read all the stories I would like to.)

Estal0ne11: I updates soon! Didn't I?

hikari-nimeluvrs: Your school is just going to start? My school started already 2 weeks ago! However. . . here is the update you wanted.

FirePrincessTheOneAndOnly: Yes it was short, but that was cause I didn't like writing it. This however is at least 2 pages longer (maybe more)

And thanks again to you and now until next time I find time and inspiration to write this story!

See ya!


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